


Letterpool

by nightmoonz



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-09-30 20:18:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10171028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightmoonz/pseuds/nightmoonz
Summary: It’s October, and everyone has come back to Hogwarts to complete their education. Except space is cramped, Hogwarts is still somewhat in ruins, and getting the morning mail is a disaster. Things only get worse when a love letter that was both anonymous and unaddressed lands squarely in between Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown, Harry Potter, and Seamus Finnigan. Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins make it their business to fully take advantage of the situation by creating both a radio show and a betting pool to find out who the letter was for and who it was from. Thus leaving all the students to wonder… When will there ever be a quiet year at Hogwarts?





	1. How it all starts: The Letter

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally submitted as a gift exchange for the interhouse-fest on LJ
> 
> for Prompt 96: PROMPT: Someone has written an anonymous love letter to a Gryffindor student. Unfortunately, the owl has dropped it too high at breakfast, and it lands squarely in between Hermione, Lavender, Harry and Seamus. It's a comedy of errors as the entire school fights over (and takes bets on) which Gryff it was meant for...and who wrote it.
> 
> Disclaimer: Here’s the standard ‘I don’t own HP and I’m not making any money off of this,’ speech, because lol I don’t. Though there is a lot of hurt/comfort in this. It’s WAAAAY more comfort than hurt. Please forgive the formatting of the Radio show and the Radio Show’s name… It was meant to be a placeholder but I couldn’t think of anything to replace it with.
> 
> A/N: Well after countless cups of coffee, and crying to my beautiful, wonderful betas Orgnzdchaos (for moral support, ethics questions, monitor of ridiculous cheesy moments and canon), Traincat (moral support, and helper of writing kiss scenes), and to gelsey-mod of Interhouse fest who generously helped catching the MANY embarrassing mistakes I thought I had fixed!!! this fic is finally finished! It’s the longest thing I’ve ever written, and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to write it.

Every morning the owl post came in, and every morning it was a mess.  
  
The new protocol everyone had adopted (although was still hard getting used to), had helped when to collecting your mail. All you had to do was wait out all of the mail scattering down from the poor overworked owls who lived in the overcrowded owlery, to land then retrieve it.  
  
The reason behind the space issue had to do with everyone needing to repeat the previous year, at Hogwarts. The disastrous curriculum from last year was so barbaric and out of date that it left the students worse off than if they hadn’t learned anything at all.  
  
So, unfortunately the first years and the second years were stuck sharing the same classrooms due to the second years like everyone else had to repeat the previous one. The living situation as you can imagine, wasn’t much better...  
  
At least the temporary living quarters that were set up just outside of the Quidditch pitch were taken down. The volunteer reconstruction workers had managed to expand the common rooms and dormitories for each House giving the surplus students space to live in the castle again.  
  
The majority of the repairs being done to the school grounds were volunteers most of which were recent graduates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Namely, the Weasley twins, Lee Jordan, Cho Chang etc… It was a great chance to rebuild Hogwarts for the better but it was also a nice chance to say goodbye, too.  
  
So like I said, space was luxury that nobody had. Everyone was cranky, and so as usual the morning owl post chaos came in, and by October no one even bothered looking through the stacks of mail to find their letters until all of them had stopped fluttering down— the only problem with this system was if a letter wasn’t labeled, then, it would take forever to find the person who it was supposed to go to.  
  
As it turned out, this was exactly what one person was counting on.  
  
A letter that had a sort of thickish card-stock and landed directly in between four students. Harry, Hermione, Lavender, and Seamus, amazingly enough, it managed to miss landing in any food too. But there it sat, untouched because it was unlabeled. Finally, Seamus took a look at it and handed it over to everyone’s favorite Gryffindor.  
  
“Oye Harry, it’s probably for you,”  
  
Harry took the envelope and spun it around and briefly glanced inside. “Oh wonderful.” He looked at them darkly. “s’not labeled.”  
  
“No, it’s not, er that’s why I said it’s probably for you.”  
  
Harry sighed. “Wait then, why are you sure it’s for me?”  
  
“Well it looks like a girls’ handwriting, and it ain’t my mam’s, I can tell you that.”  
  
Lavender and Hermione had the same look of annoyance on their faces.  
  
“And what exactly is ‘girls’ handwriting,’ Seamus?” Hermione asked.  
  
Lavender chimed in right after: “Yes, Seamus, please tell, us.”  
  
Seamus could feel his cheeks burning. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just the handwriting looks nice, and I dunno girls seem to have nicer handwriting? At least my partners in classes always did, and well if it is a girl’s it wouldn’t likely be for me now would it?”  
  
“Hey,” Lavender said. “Don’t think like that, but that’s beside the point. Seamus, have you seen Hermione’s handwriting? Or mine for that matter. It’s dreadful, plus if it's from a girl it could still be for me or Hermione.”  
  
“Lavender’s right,” Hermione agreed. “It might help if we actually read the blasted thing.”  
  
Lavender couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.  
  
Two years ago if you were to tell Hermione Granger that she and Lavender Brown would be friendly towards each other, she would have definitely hexed canaries at you. When Hermione saw Lavender being attacked by Greyback it put a lot of things into perspective. After mourning the losses of all those who fell, a lot of things seemed small, the differences between houses, blood status, and different races of magical people, diminished.  
  
These differences weren’t gone, not by a long shot. Although at least the Wizengamot trials for Voldemort’s Death Eaters went considerably better than they did after the first war. That was mostly in part to Draco Malfoy, it wasn’t uncommon knowledge that he’d ‘joined’ the Death Eaters at barely 16, if you could really even call it ‘joining.’  
  
He took it upon himself to try and sabotage the Death Eaters from the inside with others like him, who were forced into joining because of blatant threats against their families. He willing took Veritaserum and told the Wizengamot absolutely everything, putting major emphasis on who was innocent and threatened to who signed up willingly. (To answer your question, yes Dolores Umbridge was on that list).  
  
It had been a very dark, very long year, but in the fall when it was time to leave for the Hogwarts Express, it was like everyone had hit the refresh button. There was a stark realization: they were all alive, the war was over, and despite all of it there were countless friendships and bonds that came out the other side. A lot of people didn’t want to forget what happened and were committed to ensuring it never would again. More group projects were assigned in classes, and a variety of extra circular activities were included to boost inter-house unity. However, the House Cup and Quidditch would always be there for some healthy competition.  
  
So Hermione and Lavender’s new found friendship wasn’t so strange. After all, they had fought a war together.  
  
“Alright then, ease up a bit, I’m only human. Who’s going to read it?” said Seamus.  
  
“Oh, I’ll do it.” Harry took the letter, rolling his eyes. He was about to read it when he found that this wasn’t an ordinary letter. “Er… it’s er, this is a very personal—look it’s a love letter, alright?”  
  
“Oh?” Seamus lifted an eyebrow  
  
Hermione: “Haha, very funny, Harry.”  
  
“Hermione, I’m not kidding around, it’s an anonymous love letter.”  
  
“Give it here?” asked Lavender. As Harry passed the letter to her, she looked around the room and realized everyone in the Great Hall had stopped what they were doing to listen in on what was happening at the Gryffindor table.  
  
Lavender cleared her throat and read the letter out loud.  
  
_“Dear Friend,_  
  
_Our years at Hogwarts are coming to an end. You will probably remember these halls fondly, and everyone will remember you, but I’m quite certain you will not remember me._  
  
_There have been certain things that I have left unsaid, so I am telling you now… before it’s too late._  
  
_I know I’ve done things… said things in the past that are irredeemable. I’m not writing you in an attempt to erase those errors. I’m not expecting these words to suddenly change things, or win you over either._  
  
_This is just to let you know how much I genuinely care about you. I don’t have the words to describe how much being your friend—as brief as it’s been—has meant to me… I can honestly say it’s more than you will ever know._  
  
_Again, I’m not looking to impose myself in your life, after Hogwarts, and even if I were to never see you again, that would be okay._  
  
_This is just to tell you, that I wish you every happiness._  
  
_With all my affection…_  
  
_A Friend._ ”  
  
The Four students looked absolutely dumbfounded. They didn’t even notice that the entire Great Hall was in chaos over the letter.  
  
_“Did you hear?! A secret love letter was sent to either Hermione, Harry, Seamus, or Lavender?!”_  
  
“I know! Who could have sent it?!”  
  
“Who is it actually to?”  
  
“Has anyone started up a betting pool?” George asked while Fred and Lee had the savvy to create a betting pool. In a matter of minutes they had already set up a ballot box to allow people to submit their bets. Lee went to work on hosting a radio show to update the progress of “Letterpool.”  
  
As much as they hated to admit it, secretly the four Gryffindors were happy. What had seemed like weeks of misery had suddenly lifted, all due to this letter. After that brief moment of joy, they were all hit with the same sinking feeling: they were this year’s gossip, and on that note, it was time to act accordingly.


	2. Rubbish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Cho Chang and Harry Potter reconnect, and Ron and Hermione leap over their awkward hurdle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Here’s the standard ‘I don’t own HP and I’m not making any money off of this,’ speech, because lol I don’t. Though there is a lot of hurt/comfort in this. It’s WAAAAY more comfort than hurt. Please forgive the formatting of the Radio show and the Radio Show’s name… It was meant to be a placeholder but I couldn’t think of anything to replace it with.
> 
> A/N: Well after countless cups of coffee, and crying to my beautiful, wonderful betas Orgnzdchaos (for moral support, ethics questions, monitor of ridiculous cheesy moments and canon), Traincat (moral support, and helper of writing kiss scenes), and to gelsey-mod of Interhouse fest who generously helped catching the MANY embarrassing mistakes I thought I had fixed!!! this fic is finally finished! It’s the longest thing I’ve ever written, and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to write it.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione had barely made it out of the Great Hall alive. They hoped Lavender and Seamus were able to escape unscathed. Once they were out of the mob scene just inside the Great Hall, the Golden Trio made their way to Hagrid’s Shack for a quick visit before Potions class.  
  
“What a load of rubbish,” protested Hermione, but it didn’t stop the blush creep to her cheeks. “It’s obviously meant for you, Harry.”  
  
“Oh? Weren’t you having a go at Seamus for saying exactly that?”  
  
“No, I was having a go at Seamus assuming the handwriting must be a girl’s, just because it’s neat. I think it’s for you because… well, look at who is volunteering for the reconstruction of Hogwarts is.”  
  
Harry slightly puzzled by what she meant, looked around the grounds. At first, he didn’t get what Hermione was on about, there were a bunch of people who they knew from their younger years. The Weasley twins, for example, were back; so were Lee Jordan, Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Adrian Pucey. Hell, even Marcus Flint came back to help rebuild. He might have been an ugly git, but he was one of Malfoy’s undercover agents aka the Blood Breakers. Who knows how many more lives would have been destroyed that if it hadn’t been for Malfoy’s little undercover spy network? Fred certainly would have been…  
  
Fred had been distracted by having Percy back that he had gotten careless. If Pucey (one of the best Slytherin Quidditch players of all time) hadn’t shoved Fred out of the way just in the knick of time Fred might not still be here.  
  
Still, Harry kept searching then finally his eyes settled on Cho Chang.  
  
“Oh come off it, Hermione, she didn’t write it, and besides that is never going to happen.”  
  
“Mmaht?” Ron asked while chomping down on a blueberry scone. “Sorry, what?”  
  
“Eh, nothing. Hermione just thinks Cho Chang sent the letter to me. Now _that_ is a load of rubbish.”  
  
“Actually,” Ron reluctantly countered his best friend, “Harry, I mean… well, it would make sense, wouldn’t it? You guys were super unlucky with your timing, and the letter sort of makes sense when you think of your history with her.”  
  
Harry scowled and had a sneaking suspicion that Ron was only agreeing with Hermione because of their awkward breakup, but once he started thinking about it, he realized that they did have a point. There were certain pieces of that letter that did seem like it applied to his relationship with Cho… Not that he was going to admit this out loud, of course.  
  
Hermione beamed in triumph. “Thank you, Ron, I knew there was a brain in there somewhere.”  
  
“Oye! I was selected as a prefect alongside you, remember?”  
  
“Fair enough, but Harry only takes your word when it comes to matters of the heart, Merlin only knows why.”  
  
“Come off it, I am not that bad, Hermione, at least not anymore, right Harry? … Harry?”  
  
But Harry was off in his own world thinking about Cho and how hilariously badly things went. They definitely had the odds stacked against them from the very beginning. Her friend “betraying” the DA wasn’t an easy thing to swallow, but Harry did admit shamefully that he resented her for it. The truth of it was, they were children and her friend was terrified for her parents, the only person they should have blamed was Umbridge… Maybe things could be different now?  
  
“Yeah er… right, give me a moment?” Harry didn’t wait for a reply and walked over to Cho.  


 

~~~

  
  
Harry wandered over to Cho, leaving Ron and Hermione behind. It had been a while since they were alone together. After the war, they tried dating, and at first it went fine, but they soon realized they just weren’t the same people after the war. Between Ron’s experience with the locket and Hermione’s understandable concern with getting her parents’ memories back…  
  
It left them way too out of sync… perhaps if things had been different, then maybe things would have worked out. Still, as much as the break was mutual, they were still doing the awkward dance of working out the new dynamic of their relationship.  
  
Yet here they were again preparing for class, and Ron out of habit asked Hermione, “Please help me write this essay? I will honestly do anything and I will make it up to you this time. I mean, I know I’ve said that before bu—”  
  
“Ronald, we both know you won’t, and if you did, I think I’d die from shock.”  
  
Hermione’s scolding sent Ron bursting into laughter. “Sorry, ‘Mione, you’re absolutely right.” Hermione rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but it was all in good fun.  
  
“Blimey… We haven’t laughed like this since 6th year,” he said whilst wiping his tears from laughing.  
  
“Yeah, and let’s face it, 6th year was a disaster.”  
  
“Heh yeah… I’ve missed this, us being normal, you know?” Ron hoped he hadn’t just crossed a line, but it was the closest they’d been since the breakup.  
  
Hermione picked up on his slight anxiety and smiled. “Yeah… Listen, Ron, I know we’re both sorry it didn’t work out, but this is ridiculous, we’ve been friends for ages.” She’d been waiting for the right time to approach the subject and was glad that they were actually talking about it.  
  
“Completely agree.”  
  
“So it’s settled then,” Hermione chuckled. “We’re mates and all that?”  
  
“That is just weird when you say it, but yeah, ‘Mione, of course, ‘we’re mates’ and all that.”  
  
They grinned at this new understanding, and it was like a weight had been lifted, no more awkward tension, no worry careful words and glances. They were aggravating Ron and know-it-all Hermione Granger again.  
  
“Hey, Ron… One more thing before we completely move on?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“I just wanted to let you know. You were the best first love anyone could ever ask for.”  
  
“Hermione, without you I’d still—what was it? Oh right, I’d still have ‘the emotional maturity of a teaspoon.’ We really helped each other grow, didn’t we?”  
  
“We really did.”  
  
They hugged for a while, and the last of the awkwardness that had plagued them disappeared.  
  
“Just promise me one thing, next time I snog a girl please don’t send scary birds after me?” Ron smirked then started to lightly jog.  
  
“Ronald Billius Weasley! Get back here, you cowardly git!” Hermione yelled after him  


 

~~~

  
  
Cho was always a fan of how the interior of Hogwarts castle operated. The constantly moving staircase she realized actually were a huge help during the battle of Hogwarts. The students knew their irregular patterns much better than Voldemort’s Death Eaters who left the castle years ago.  
  
The Death Eaters had a dreadful time trying to figure out where to strike in the castle all because of the enchanted stairs. That was why Cho was working on fixing the staircases. It was one of the students’ best defenses against outsiders who meant to do the school harm. Fixing them was very important to her, and she hardly let anything distract her from them, which was why when Harry Potter stood right beside her she didn’t even notice.  
  
“They’re looking a lot better.”  
  
Cho jumped. “Oh, Harry, hi, I didn’t see you there,” Cho rambled. “Thanks for noticing the work on the stairs, they still have a long way to go.”  
  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you,” Harry chuckled softly. “I just wanted to see how it was going… w-with the stairs. Er… I mean, Hermione mentioned that there was a ton of sophisticated magic that got them working the way they did. I figured it must be very time-consuming.” Harry hated himself all over again. Wasn’t he too old to be this nervous around Cho Chang?  
  
“Hermione’s right.” Cho smiled. “It’s been difficult to replicate, but I think I’m getting the hang of it. Luna and Padma offered to help a bit… d-do you think Hermione would like to join in?”  
  
“Oh, um, yeah. I’ll ask her. She’d probably—uh…” Harry’s expression darkened, “Actually er… Hermione’s pretty overwhelmed at the moment, but I know she can probably take a moment if you need help… You should really ask her—or I can.”  
  
“O-Oh sorry are you two dating? I don’t want to step on any toes—”  
  
“What?! No, god no, I mean no. Er I mean yeah I love Hermione but no, no still just and will always be just friends, and that is it, forever.”  
  
Cho was trying desperately to not laugh at his expense, but she had to wonder. “Oh then um… why?”  
  
Harry sighed. “She… before the war, she cast a memory charm on her parents… it’s apparently a lot stronger than she anticipated, and she’s been trying everything to get it lifted. Oh, bloody hell, Cho, sorry, I wasn’t supposed to say anything—please don’t tell anyone that… she doesn’t want—”  
  
“No! Oh, of course not I won’t tell anyone… Oh, Hermione… I can’t even imagine…” Cho quickly glanced in Hermione’s direction where she went from arguing with Ron to hugging him to playfully hitting him which was the norm for them at least before the war. “I feel terrible, it should have occurred to me, she’d have to do something like that for her parents. Is she alright, though? I mean she and Ron look like they’ve sorted themselves out, but I mean otherwise is she ok or does she need any help?”  
  
He wasn’t expecting this to be her reaction, and it made him hate himself all over again for how harshly he’d judged her during his 5th year. “I—Cho that’s really kind, but I think Hermione feels like she has to do this on her own. I know the only reason she’s agreed to let Neville and Susan help her with it is because,” Harry broke out in a grin, “Well, Susan’s had a mad crush on Neville for ages so, er, Susan may have let Hermione think this was her idea to get them to spend some time together alone.”  
  
Cho laughed. “I bet Hermione sees straight through that but has every intention of setting up them up anyway.”  
  
“Oh, she does and she is.” Harry laughed along with her until he heard the bell signaling his next class. “Ah crap, I’ve gotta go to potions…”  
  
“Oh right sorry! I didn’t mean to hold you up, but this was fun, Harry, it’s great seeing you.”  
  
“Yeah, we should hang out again.”  
  
Cho blushed. “Yeah, sounds good. Hogsmeade?”  
  
“Definitely.”  
  
“Ok, but one condition, do not even think about taking me to the Madam Puddifoot’s.”  
  
Harry cringed but smiled. “Right, duly noted. Three Broomsticks ok then?”  
  
“The Three Broomsticks is perfect, now get to class I’m not going to be your excuse for being late.”  
  
“Harry! We gotta get a move on before Slughorn gives us cauldron cleaning duty!” Ron shouted impatiently. Clearly Hermione was being too good of an influence on him.  
  
“Right, on my way!” Harry grinned. “Er, heh, thanks, Cho, for the chat.”  
  
“No problem, now go.” She smiled.  
  
Harry jogged over to Hermione and Ron. Hermione was smirking. “That looked like that went rather well.”  
  
Harry gave them both a crooked grin. “Well yeah, at least we’re going to talk again at Hogsmeade, and who knows we might have actually gotten the timing right this time.”  
  
“That is wicked, but try not to mess up as badly as last time.”  
  
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh, Ron, what did I ever see in you.”  
  
“Must have been my excellent sense of humor and charm.” Ron made a point of wiggling his eyebrows, sending the three of them into fits of laughter before they went off to Potions class. 


	3. Run!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seamus and Lavender cannot run fast enough (well they do but barely)   
> Parvarti has a date and Daphne Greengrass is less than pleased about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Here’s the standard ‘I don’t own HP and I’m not making any money off of this,’ speech, because lol I don’t. Though there is a lot of hurt/comfort in this. It’s WAAAAY more comfort than hurt. Please forgive the formatting of the Radio show and the Radio Show’s name… It was meant to be a placeholder but I couldn’t think of anything to replace it with.
> 
> A/N: Well after countless cups of coffee, and crying to my beautiful, wonderful betas Orgnzdchaos (for moral support, ethics questions, monitor of ridiculous cheesy moments and canon), Traincat (moral support, and helper of writing kiss scenes), and to gelsey-mod of Interhouse fest who generously helped catching the MANY embarrassing mistakes I thought I had fixed!!! this fic is finally finished! It’s the longest thing I’ve ever written, and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to write it.

Dean had finally gotten Seamus out of the Great Hall. “Bloody hell, what a nightmare. You alright, Seamus?”  
  
“I-yeah-I they actually think that’s for me? I mean that’s ridiculous.”  
  
“Why’s it ridiculous? Seamus, you’re great.”  
  
“No, Dean, you are… you were in it with Luna and Malfoy up at the Malfoy Manner. I— I’m probably the biggest git Gryffindor ever had.”  
  
“Aw, Seamus, you can’t still be upset over 5th year? Harry’s long since forgiven you, and besides we were all scared. You fought alongside us in the war, not for nothing—that trumps being a 15-year-old idiot.”  
  
“Who was a 15-year-old idiot?” asked Luna dreamily. “I think I bought both you some time, I started talking about Wrackspruts. It’s the oddest thing, for some reason Wrackspurts always makes people nervous. So they should stay away for now. However, you may want to move away from here sooner rather than later.”  
  
Dean grinned. “Thanks, Luna, you’re the best.” Dean gave Luna a quick peck on the lips, and she smiled sweetly at him. Seamus thought Luna was—well, you know—looney at first, but after getting to know her, his opinion completely changed for the better. She made Dean happy and had helped keep him safe along with Malfoy. He regarded both Luna and even Malfoy with respect after that.  
  
“Yeah, thanks, Luna it was getting overwhelming.”  
  
“Not a problem, Seamus, Ginny offered to help, she’s still quite good with the bat bogey hex, so you really ought to use the 5 or 10 minutes we’ve bought you.”  
  
“Will do, thanks again, Luna!” Seamus grabbed Dean and off they went to Potions early.  
  
“Ugh, what a nightmare… least we managed to avoid the Weasley Twins and Lee Jordan.”  
  
“Ha! Dean, don’t you mean we did for now? You know them, they’ll eventually corner us for sure.”  
  
“C’mon, where’s the infamous Finnegan optimism?”  
  
“It’s here, just buried.”  
  
“Alright, mate, whatever you say… Listen, Luna and I can change our plans so that you could come along to Hogsmeade later tonight. I’m sure Luna wouldn’t mind, ya know.”  
  
“Dean, it’s your bloody anniversary, no way, thanks fer the offer, though.”  
  
They went off to Potions quickly before the mob arrived.  


 

~~~

  
  
Lavender watched as Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who were used to gossip at this point, quietly but quickly walk out of the Great Hall. After they were gone, a considerable number of students swarmed Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. Dean Thomas was doing his best to fend off the horde of students plus the betting pool animals, aka the Lee, Fred, and George. Lavender, not wanting to stick around, decided to depart rather briskly while everyone was distracted with getting Seamus’s comments.  
  
“Lav!” Parvati ran up to her best friend. “Wait up!”  
  
Lavender slowed down, waiting for Parvati to catch up, although Lavender made a point t to respond to what she assumed would be Parvati’s line of questioning. “Before you start, no, there’s nothing to say, it’s probably meant for Harry, I mean he did save us all. Maybe for Hermione, although I think Seamus would be an interesting candidate. After all, he does have a certain charm. I highly doubt it’s for me, even if it were I’m just not in that head space, just no.”  
  
“Suuuuure, says the girl who snogged Won-Won all throughout our 6th year.”  
  
“Ugh, why do you always have to bring that up?” Lavender cringed at the memory.  
  
Out of all the things she’d ever done in her life, the top thing she regretted was her behavior when she dated Ron Weasley. Sure, she fancied him and all, but ugh the way she acted.  
  
“Alright, alright, sorry, but seriously now, you aren’t interested in the letter at all? Who are you and what have you done with Lavender Brown?”  
  
“Parvati, I’m serious, I just want a normal year of Hogwarts. Passing my classes, maybe getting more into divination, despite what everyone says it can be quite useful.”  
  
Parvati looked a little worried and softly comforted her friend. “Look, I get it, that 6th year wasn’t exactly a great one for us, but come on, Lavender, it’s in the past and no one cares about that. I guess I just want to make sure you’re ok… but you have to admit it’s rather exciting, isn’t it?”  
  
Lavender rolled her eyes grinning. “Oh, I suppose…” She laughed. “ Thanks, Parvati, I am okay. I know the Greyback thing freaked you out and fair enough, but I’m okay and you know Bill Weasley and Professor Lupin have been really helpful through the whole thing.”  
  
“Hey, anytime Lavender, and remember you can always talk to me about that stuff too.”  
  
“I know.” There was a brief pause before Lavender lightened the mood. “So spill: who did you bet on?”  
  
“Lavender Brown, what kind of person do you take me for? Hmmm?”  
  
“Don’t Lavender Brown me, I know you placed a bet.”  
  
“Ah, you know me well. Ok, Ok I bet that— ” Just then the two bumped into Theo Nott and Draco Malfoy.  
  
Lavender dropped all of her books and sighed, thinking, ‘oh great, this is just what I need, bumping into these two…’  
  
Everyone knew that the Slytherins who attended Hogwarts this year were a part of the Blood Breakers, and if it hadn’t been for them, many more lives could have been lost. Still, there was something about Malfoy that left a sour taste in her mouth. It was unfair, and she was continually trying to get over that (his lack of smirkTM) certainly helped. Theodore Nott was another thing entirely. He had been the one who picked her up and carried her to Madam Pomfrey after Hermione blasted Greyback off of her. After the war they had been on friendly terms, but now, nothing aside from a polite hello.  
  
“Sorry,” Theo mumbled in his usual way, he was always so quiet.  
  
“S’alright…” Lavender said, examining him closely  
  
“You ok?” he asked, handing Lavender her books.  
  
“Er… yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” She took her books and noticed Malfoy masking a smile the best he could. “Thanks…er bye?”  
  
“See you…” Theo mumbled as Draco and he went down to the dungeons for Potions.  
  
“What do you suppose that was about?”  
  
Lavender and Parvati proceeded to climb up to Divination class. Lavender wondered which god she had to thank for Divination overlapping with Potions.  
  
“I haven’t the foggiest, it was rather odd.” Parvati shrugged. “But I wouldn’t be too worried about it, though.”  
  
“I suppose…” Lavender hummed. “Theo’s been really weird lately, he used to talk to me a lot over the summer and now? He’s barely glanced my way since we got back to Hogwarts.”  
  
Parvati grinned. “Well maybe he likes you. Or… maybe he sent the letter to you. Well, that’s my bet anyway, luckily I was able to place it before the FLG could wrangle me into their show.”  
  
“Parvati. You either have been confounded or would make an amazing comedian, but wait who now? What show?”  
  
“Uh, Fred Lee and George, who else? They’re doing a radio broadcast of ‘Letterpool,’ least that’s what they’re calling it.”  
  
“Wonderful… Seriously just one year. Can we just for once have a normal sodding year at Hogwarts? Ever?”  
  
“Considering this is our last year? No, which brings me to my point, Lavender, dear friend of mine. Theo definitely wants to hold you in his arms and snog you.”  
  
Lavender felt the heat rise to her cheeks. “He does not, what gave you this insane idea anyhow?”  
  
Parvati sighed and went still. “Because of what happened with Greyback, and the fact that you both sent each other letters all throughout the summer. You guys even met up a couple of times.”  
  
“One. Everyone was worried about me after Greyback. Two. Okay yeah, we spent some time together over the summer. Three. Yeah, we wrote letters to each other. I know his handwriting, Parvati, and it definitely wasn’t his. Although I have to admit, I miss spending time with him.”  
  
“Well look you don’t know he could have disguised his handwriting or maybe had someone else write it.”  
  
Lavender rolled her eyes at Parvati.  
  
“Oh fine, maybe he didn’t write the letter. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings of a romantic nature towards you.”  
  
Lavender blushed, and Parvati smirked. “And upon that realization, I will let you ponder all things Theodore Nott. Just remember tonight I’m out, so say hi to Pads and Hannah for me.”  
  
“Ah, another date with Astoria.”  
  
“Yes, who else?”  
  
“You know if you hurt her, Daphne Greengrass will have your head on a platter.”  
  
“But that’s why I’ve got you and Pads, you’ll protect me.” Parvati pulled Lavender in for a side-hug.  
  
“Oh alright, at least one of us is dating.”  


 

~~~

  
  
“Smooth, really smooth.”  
  
“Oh come on, Draco… it’s just really—”  
  
“Oh, Theo blow it with Lavender again?” Blaise chuckled  
  
“Oh Blaise, shut up, you honestly can’t talk, have you even spoken two words to Ginny?” said Theo  
  
Blaise stammered, “Hey, not so loud, Weasel just sauntered in! And as it happens, we’re going out, actually, so you two losers can stick it up your robes.”  
  
“Well hey come on now, how did I get dragged into this? You can’t honestly put me into the same category as Theo.” said Draco  
  
“Oh please I’m way better than you are, Draco.” Theo snorted  
  
“Oh and how’s that?”  
  
“‘Cuz I can at least admit I have feelings for someone, whereas you can’t.”  
  
“Haha funny.” Malfoy said with all humor gone from his voice.  
  
“Oh stop it, Draco, WE KNOW,” Blaise and Theo said simultaneously  
  
“Right," Draco voiced sardonically, "I honestly have no idea what you’re on about, also Theo that was a shocking performance. Seriously, weren’t you and Lavender ‘almost’ dating this summer?”  
  
“Merlin, you boys are loud,” Daphne Greengrass remarked. “Well, loud and sad, honestly, grow up, for crying out loud. Oh and Draco, we know your secret crush so you can stop lying to us now.”  
  
“That,” Draco responded sharply, “is not a thing up for discussion.”  
  
“Ah, not so funny when it’s your love life eh?”  
  
“Oh Theo baby, not now the grown-ups are talking,” Daphne chastised him.  
  
“H-Hey…”  
  
“Look, boys, the girls you fancy? They aren’t going to know you care about them if you don’t put yourself out there. So stop whining and do something about it.”  
  
“Might I point out again that I am dating Ginny Weasley.”  
  
“Blaise, that does not count.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Because she asked you out, idiot.”  
  
“Shut up, Daphne,” Blaise mumbled. “At least I am dating…”  
  
“She never will, you know, shut up I mean,” said the younger Greengrass, who popped into their Potions class.  
  
“Astoria, shouldn’t you be in class somewhere?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, I just wanted to remind you that I’m out tonight.”  
  
Daphne’s eyes narrowed. “Right… Tell Patil that if I see you crying for any reason I will viciously take it out on her, and I won’t care if it’s because of her or not.”  
  
“Please don’t, start that again, while I do appreciate your support, I’d prefer you _ **not** _ threatening the girls I go out with.”  
  
Daphne gave a look that could turn Medusa into stone. “No promises.”  
  
“Well, thank you for at least trying. Ciao, big sister.” With that, Astoria left  
  
Theo gaped at her. “Somehow, I always forget how scary you can be, Daph.”  
  
“Ah yes, that is because I’m a superior being than you lot. Anyway, this ‘Letterpool’ business is interesting, hmm?” Daphne cast a look directly at one Gryffindor boy in particular. “I wonder who could have written it, and who it could be for.” With that, Daphne left to sit by her cauldron and prep for class.  
  
“You don’t think she wrote it?” asked Nott.  
  
“Nope,” Malfoy said curtly.  
  
“Maybe, there have been weirder things, but honestly, I don’t want to know. Daphne’s love life is not to be meddled with, I think the only person who has and lived to tell the tale is Astoria.”  
  
“And that’s only because Astoria is her little sister.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Draco huffed. “Focus up, Slughorn’s here.”  
  
Blaise and Theo gave each other a questioning look; clearly, the previous topic had shaken Malfoy far more than they had anticipated, and just this once they decided to let it go. Besides potions with Slughorn wasn’t exactly an easy 'O' after all.  


 

~~~

  
  
Dean had been wandering around looking for Luna so they could go out on their date. Little did he know that his plans were going to be interrupted by a very enthusiastic Fred, Lee, and George. Thus starting the interviews for Hogwarts new radio show:  
  
*Fred, Lee, and George pop out of nowhere with a microphone*  
**Lee:** Heeeello, Hogwarts! This is Lee Jordan from Hogwarts new radio show Hogwarts Hot Topics! I’m am currently broadcasting with the illustrious Weasley twins, Fred and George! Remember, kids, Zonko’s is classic but if you’re bored definitely check out FG’s Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes on your next trip to Diagon Ally!  
  
**Fred and George:** Hello, hello!  
  
**Lee:** Now for the real news, we’re interviewing Luna Lovegood and her beau Dean Thomas about the anonymous love letter that fluttered down to the Gryffindor table. We are taking bets on who it is for and who wrote it, so ladies and gents, if you would like to have a bet on our Letterpool, please see me, Fred, or George. Over the course of the year or at least until the author and/or recipient are revealed, we’ll be collecting data to help stabilize the odds on the four candidates. In case you’re unsure of who they are, let me remind you we have: the one and only Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, best Gryffindor seeker and the one who defeated He-Who-Must-oh sod it Voldemort technically twice; Fire Master Extraordinaire Seamus Finnegan; Champion of true Love herself, bearing her heart bravely on her sleeve, Lavender Brown! And last but certainly not least, the Lionhearted Brightest Witch of—well I dare to say it Brightest and Bravest Witch of the century, Hermione Granger! Which brings us back to our guests! Hello, Dean! Hello, Luna! Any thoughts?  
  
**Dean:** *rolls eyes* Must we do this?  
  
**Luna:** I think we should, Dean, it would certainly help our friends.  
  
**Fred:** Lee, perfect announcing as ever!  
  
**Luna:** Yes, Lee, you’re quite good, I would have some one-on-one meeting with you on announcing the Quidditch House matches if that’s still a possibility.  
  
**Dean:** Wait a minute! Hang on, when was that discussed?  
  
**Luna:** Only just now, I thought it would be a good idea, my humor tends to be accidental. Although it was nice of Ron to compliment me on it.  
  
**George:** *chuckles* That’s our Ron! Now as Lee said, the Letterpool is going on until we figure out who the letter is to, and who is the sender! Dean, Luna, any thoughts?  
  
**Dean:** Oh come on, guys, we’re supposed to be on a date now.  
  
**Luna:** Dean, it will only take a minute or two, plus it will only delay us longer if we don’t.  
  
*Dean casts the pranking trio a dark look, that even caused Fred to shrink back a little bit*  
  
**Dean:** These three jokers better not hold us up for long…  
  
**George:** Really we’re just curious, and I think we all need this bit of amusement, no?  
  
**Luna:** It might help to see the letter again… *Luna skims it.* Hmm, something about the handwriting is familiar.  
  
**Dean:** *peers over her shoulder* Oh wow, yeah, Lune, you’re right… Where have we seen it before?  
  
**Luna:** I’m not sure… I do think the person who wrote it may be on the reconstruction team or—  
  
**Fred:** Like Cho Chang for example?  
  
**Lee:** ‘Fraid that looks like that might be a dead end, although allegedly Harry Potter and Cho Chang were seen talking earlier today.  
  
**George:** Excuse these two, Luna you were saying?  
  
**Luna:** Well it’s possible it’s from Cho, especially since I think they’re going to the Three Broomsticks together tomorrow. However, I think it could be anyone who’s graduating this year due to the fact that the letter describes the sender not being able to see the recipient again. Also, although the letter is anonymous, it does seem like the sender knows the recipient well but not well enough that they’d see each other after school.  
  
**Dean:** *beaming at Luna*  
  
**George:** That is a good theory!  
  
**Dean:** Of course it is, Luna’s brilliant! *Dean holds her hand, and they both smile*  
  
**Lee:** It’s a really touching scene here between Dean and Luna, definitely a cute couple.  
  
**Dean:** I really like you, Lee, but you’re pushing into Rita Skeeter territory.  
  
**Lee:** *Lee gasps in mock offense*  
  
**Fred:** That’s a bit much.  
  
**Dean:** Oh I’m sorry, how would you lot feel if I interrupted a date between you and Angelina, Fred? Or well I don’t actually know if George or Lee are seeing anyone, but same concept.  
  
**George:** Come on, be a good sport, Dean, have some fun. You do remember fun, right?  
  
**Dean:** Ugh, can we get this over with!?  
  
**Fred:** Yes, sorry, continue.  
  
**Dean:** I want it to be for Seamus, and if it is I’m willing to bet it’s either a Slytherin or Hufflepuff.  
  
**Luna:** I’m not sure, and I don’t have any evidence on who it’s for but as long as both parties are happy I suppose that’s all that matters, I know we are. *Luna looks at Dean fondly while Fred, George, and Lee mumble how odd it is that Luna looks at evidence in this case rather than the things that are posted in the Quibbler*  
  
**Dean:** We certainly are. *Dean kisses Luna’s forehead and they go to Hogsmeade*  
  
**Lee:** Well, that was vague; enlightening, but vague.  
  
**Fred:** Also borderline sickening on how sugary sweet these two are.  
  
**George:** But still enlightening nonetheless. This at least gives us some intel on the ages/years the sender could be from, and there’s a boost in Seamus Finnegan’s odds.  
  
**Lee:** I just want to point out that Luna Lovegood is the second best announcer after yours truly, and I look forward to hearing more of her Quidditch commentating.  
  
**Fred:** *snort* Yes, Luna does have a unique take on it, doesn’t she?  
  
**George:** Alright, boys, back to Letterpool. So in conclusion, Dean has not made a formal bet, but he has given Seamus a bump in his odds, and Seamus’ sender most likely is someone from Slytherin or Hufflepuff.  
  
**Lee:** Well that’s all for today, once we gather up more information we will post some odds to help create informed betting decisions! Until then, anyone may vote accordingly. This is Lee, George, and Fred signing off!  


 

~~~

  
  
**Lee:** Hello, Hogwarts! Good morning! I hope you’re all rested up from yesterday! This is Lee Jordan from Hogwarts Hot Topics interviewing the youngest of the Weasley family on her bet for the Letterpool!  
  
**Ginny:** Hi Lee, nice to see you.  
  
**Lee:** Well Ginny, after yesterday’s excitement and Dean and Luna’s quick interview, we were wondering if we could get your input on the situation?  
  
**Ginny:** Oh come on, they had reservations, I hope you lot didn’t make them wait that long…  
  
**Fred:** Oh I think we only kept them for about 10 minutes.  
  
**Ginny:** You better had, it was their anniversary, you daft gits.  
  
**George:** Oh… yikes now that you say that they may have mentioned something like it…  
  
**Ginny:** *annoyed sigh* Perhaps we should stick to the topic, yeah?  
  
**Lee:** Of course, here is the letter in case you wanted to have a look at it. *Lee hands it over to Ginny, and she glances over it quickly before handing it back*  
  
**Ginny:** Thanks, Lee, well the person who wrote it definitely isn’t a Gryffindor. I don’t have proof but I feel like if they were, they’d just come outright and say it, ya know? I don’t _know_ who it’s for sure, but I have a feeling it’s for Hermione. Still, that doesn’t mean much, but I know it’s not from Ron.  
  
**Lee:** That’s right, they broke up recently. That must be a bit awkward, yeah?  
  
**Ginny:** *glares at Lee as the twins shift uncomfortably* Yes, it was at first, but Ron and Hermione were always friends first, and recently they patched things up, I mean really patched things up and now it’s back to the way it was before.  
  
**Lee:** Well that’s great to hear! So you’re betting on Hermione Granger, any idea who wrote it or from which house? Was it from you?  
  
**Ginny:** No, Lee, I didn’t write it, but to answer your other question, if it is for Hermione then good luck to us all on finding who it could be from.  
  
**Fred:** Why’s that?  
  
**Ginny:** You’re kidding, right? Didn’t you guys even look at your stupid Letterpool? Hermione is in second place to Lavender Brown on the amount of suitors who could have written the letter for her. You guys have anyone from Justin Finch-Fletchly to—ugh—Cormac McLaggen. Please, Merlin, let it not be from that prat.  
  
**George:** HA! Yes indeed! We all remember McLaggen’s desperate attempts to seduce Hermione Granger. No offense, McLaggen, but no way.  
  
**Ginny:** Yeah, oh but yeah, my bet is for Hermione. *Tosses some galleons to Lee*  
  
**Lee:** Alright, well this concludes our session with Ginny Weasley on the Letterpool. On a more personal note, Ginny, are the rumors true? Are you and Blaise Zabini dating?  
  
**Ginny:** They put you up to this, didn’t they?  
  
**Lee:** *sees Ginny’s dark seething anger* Which answer gets me into less trouble?  
  
**Ginny:** I knew it. Fred? George? You are about to be very, very sorry. *Ginny gets up and stares at them*  
  
**Lee:** H-Heh *Lee clears his throat* Well then, that really does conclude Ginny Weasley’s input on Hogwarts Hot Topics I’m Lee Jor—*Crashing noises and screams of horror in the background* H-Heh that’s, OhI’mOutOfHere!


	4. Lightning Strikes with Greener Grass on the otherside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where everyone is definitely on a date or being asked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Here’s the standard ‘I don’t own HP and I’m not making any money off of this,’ speech, because lol I don’t. Though there is a lot of hurt/comfort in this. It’s WAAAAY more comfort than hurt. Please forgive the formatting of the Radio show and the Radio Show’s name… It was meant to be a placeholder but I couldn’t think of anything to replace it with.
> 
> A/N: Well after countless cups of coffee, and crying to my beautiful, wonderful betas Orgnzdchaos (for moral support, ethics questions, monitor of ridiculous cheesy moments and canon), Traincat (moral support, and helper of writing kiss scenes), and to gelsey-mod of Interhouse fest who generously helped catching the MANY embarrassing mistakes I thought I had fixed!!! this fic is finally finished! It’s the longest thing I’ve ever written, and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to write it.

**George:** H-Hello, Hogwarts, this is George Weasley interviewing Cho Chang for more insights on the Letterpool… *groaning in agony*  
  
**Cho:** G-George? What happened?! Are you alright? How did you get that black eye?!  
  
**George:** Y-yeah, oh well er… we may have teased—I mean Fred and me may have teased Ginny a little too much about her love life. And that was wrong. Very, very wrong. Fred’s still in the Hospital Wing, and Lee’s away right now to give some Luna Quidditch commentating tips. So it’s just me for now.  
  
**Cho:** You’ve already seen Madam Pomfrey?!  
  
**George:** Yep…  
  
**Cho:** *wide eyed in shock* R-Right then, erm, you were saying?  
  
**George:** Right, right. So, Cho, you, and Harry Potter have had a history of a romantic nature… word is you two have arranged a little rendezvous together for tonight. Are you off to meet him now?  
  
**Cho:** I-uh-well I mean yes, I am on my way to Hogsmeade now, but it’s not a date or anything, it’s just us meeting up and talking.  
  
**George:** I didn’t say anything about a date per se.  
  
**Cho:** You implied it.  
  
**George:** I’m offended by your accusation.  
  
**Cho:** -__- No wonder Ginny pulverized you.  
  
**George:** Like I said, you’re the one who mentioned a date, not me, and speaking of things in a romantic nature… any idea who could have written it, Cho?  
  
**Cho:** If you’re implying I wrote it for Harry, I’m afraid I’m going to have to disappoint you, although it wouldn’t surprise me if it was for Harry.  
  
**George:** Oh yes? Why is that?  
  
**Cho:** Well sure, I mean he is very well-liked and charming and easy to talk to—  
  
**George:** Sure you still don’t fancy Harry?  
  
**Cho:** -__- Someday, George Weasley, something like this will happen to you, and it won’t seem so funny. *Cho gets up and walks away.*  
  
**George:** Well, there you have it, folks. Cho thinks it’s for Harry, Luna had thoughts on it being for Harry and written by Cho, although it looks like that is a dead end… Dean is rooting for Seamus, and Ginny thinks it’s for Hermione. That concludes tonight’s interviews, keep tuned into our show for recaps and new interviews, and remember if you want to place a bet in the Letterpool visit me, Fred, or Lee. Good night, Hogwarts.  


 

~~~

  
  
Maybe it was the change from Madam Puddifoot’s to the Three Broomsticks, maybe it was because they were older now. Either way Harry Potter and Cho Chang were having a great time hanging out together.  
  
“I will never get over that game. Cho, you were fantastic! I wasn’t even angry about missing the snitch, it was incredible.”  
  
“Oh please, that was all luck.” Cho laughed as she sipped her butterbeer  
  
“I caught the snitch with my mouth once; trust me, that was not a strategic choice.”  
  
“Oh yeah! Ugh, that looked awful!”  
  
“It wasn’t fun, that’s for sure.” Harry grinned. Talking about Quidditch was always easy, and it was nice for once to talk about it with someone who wasn’t obsessed with the Chuddley Cannons.  
  
“Yeah, and you know, Cedric was great at—” And just like that, the conversation crumbled. ‘Way to go, Harry, this was actually going well then you have to go and say that with your big trap,’ Harry thought to himself.  
  
Cho smiled sadly. “Yes, yes, he was…”  
  
“Sorry… I should have thought—we don’t have to talk about him.”  
  
Cho rolled her eyes. “Harry, that was our problem last time.” She paused. “He’s missed, he’s very dearly missed, but this is a crap way to honor him. He and everyone who died to make this world a brighter place. I think we need to stop beating ourselves up for everything that happened, you especially. You have the whole world on your shoulders, you have since you were a kid, and everyone forgets that. Sorry, it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about this, but just know you can talk to me about it. I don’t want it to be like last time, we were both grieving and everything was a mess, but I had people to talk to… I know you did too, but I’m hoping you’re talking to someone now. Harry, you’re not invincible, and you shouldn’t have to be.”  
  
Harry swallowed hard. “I guess I know why you’re in Ravenclaw now, no one’s ever really tried to talk to me about this stuff. I mean, Ron and Hermione, sure, but they’ve had a lot to deal with too. I guess I just… no, I guess I’m not talking to anyone about it. I dunno why but I always feel like it’s selfish of me, after all, I am ‘the Boy-Who-Lived.”  
  
“Harry…” Cho reached out and held his hands in hers. “People forgot that you are human, and it’s obvious you carry the guilt for all of us, but you don’t have to because what happened is not your fault. It’s not selfish to ask for help when you need it. When you asked me out for a drink tonight, I was actually really happy because I could apologize and make sure you were okay. You can talk to me anytime, and maybe we can even be friends again.”  
  
Harry was stunned into silence.  
  
“You deserve a happy life, Harry, never forget that people love you for more than just being the Boy-Who-Lived. You are not perfect, you are not a god, you are a person who deserves more than to just be idolized. You deserve a life that you should have had, happy and unextraordinary—normal, life. You should live it now, not for anyone else, just yourself.”  
  
Harry had to take his hands from Cho’s to rub his eyes. “Thank you.” He sniffled.  
  
“Oh wow, who do we always end up with one of us crying?” Cho joked.  
  
Harry smiled. “S-Sorry, it’s just no one, no one has ever—I didn’t think—Aside from the Weasleys and Hermione… Sorry, words are hard right now. I don’t really have the right ones to say at the moment but thank you. Just—thank you.”  
  
Harry reached out for her hands again, and she took them immediately and squeezed.  
  
“Hey, let’s just take our time to get to know each other again. No need to rush this time around, and remember I’m here, okay? As a friend, or whatever.”  
  
“Just a friend?”  
  
Cho blushed. “I—yes, for now just a friend. Let’s do the boring thing where we hang out, get to know each other, then maybe start dating. Maybe after that… I’d like to be more than a friend, but I don’t think you need a girlfriend right now.”  
  
“Yeah…” Harry started. “But I think I like this boring thing. I do have one question, though… the letter?”  
  
“No, I didn’t write it, I should have, I should have come to you. But as always, you’re the brave one.”  
  
They both took a minute to let everything sink in. It was as if an entire weight had been lifted from his back. “So we do the boring thing for now?” he asked.  
  
“Well, boring for Harry Potter standards anyway.”  
  
Harry laughed. “It’s not my fault weird shit is attracted to me.”  
  
“I’ll say.”  
  
They both took deep breaths and eased back into their earlier easy-going vibe.  
  
“Hey, Cho? Want to be boring together again soon? It doesn’t just have to be the two of us, we can do other boring stuff like a party, or hang out, or something normal.”  
  
“Harry Potter, I think that sounds brilliant. I’m definitely in. I think this calls for a toast? Cheers, to being boring… by Harry Potter standards anyway.”  
  
Harry laughed. “Yes. Cheers to that and new-old friends.”  
  
They clinked their glasses together and ended up talking all night. No, seriously, it was just talking get your heads out of the gutter.  


 

~~~

  
  
**Lee:** Hello, Hogwarts, this is Lee, Fred, and George, discussing Letterpool with Harry Potter!  
  
**Harry:** Hi guys, how’s Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes going?  
  
**George:** Oh well actually it’s going quite well, Harry, thank you—  
  
**Fred:** Hey! I know what you’re doing, no-no, Harry, you’re talking about your new girlfriend, Cho Chang.  
  
**Harry:** We’re not—we’re just hanging out but dating might be in the future, and that’s all anyone needs to know.  
  
**Lee:** So… gotta ask, did she write the letter?  
  
**Harry:** *laughs* No, she didn’t write the letter, so, er, sorry if the letter was for me. I am a taken man.  
  
**Fred:** I thought you said you weren’t in a relationship.  
  
**Harry:** *rolling his eyes* Come on, give me a break here, I only saved the entire world.  
  
**Fred:** Okay, okay, fair enough… we’re coming to the wedding, though, right?  
  
**Harry:** Sure. *chuckles* Bye, losers.  
  
**Lee:** Ha! Well, that’s it, you have it from boy wonder himself. Cho Chang did not write the letter, so unfortunately for those of you who guessed it was Cho to Harry, you did not win. However, Fred and George have very generously decided—if you did pick that ‘coupling’—they are going to give you 10 Galleons off of a 35 Galleon purchase at WWW!  
  
**George:** That’s right! Congratulations _almost_ winners!  
  
**Fred:** Too bad you didn’t win, but we’ll love seeing you at Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes in Diagon Alley!  
  
**Lee:** This is Lee Jordan from Hogwarts Hot Topics signing off.  


 

~~~

  
  
It had been two weeks since the Letter had dropped to the Gryffindor table, causing quite an annoyance for Seamus. Lately, he headed to the Library after class thinking the hosts of the new Hogwarts radio station would never think to look for him there. Also, Hermione was sure to be there. If there was one person those three weren’t going to mess with, it was her. (Especially after Hermione and Ron’s break up.) It proved to be a successful tactic, and he would walk with Hermione back to the Gryffindor tower because again, the twins never approached him as long as Hermione around. They had made it a point to sort of let her slide under the radar with the whole letter thing. The key term there was sort of, sure they mentioned her, but not to the same extent as they mentioned the other letter candidates.  
  
Hermione quickly picked up on why Seamus was spending so much time with her, and to his surprise she understood. So they started studying together and got a lot closer in the past two weeks. Enough for him to realize something was bothering her, and it was getting a bit hard to watch. She had bags under her eyes. She and Ron had patched things up, but she would snap at him when he whispered something to her. The same thing when Harry did it as well, she’d snap at him, apologize for doing so, and storm off. Seamus didn’t want to pry, but Harry and Ron asked him if she had said anything to him. If Harry and Ron were coming to him for help, then whatever was going on with Hermione was bad.  
  
“Hermione, are you sure you’re okay?”  
  
“Yeah, I’m sure, thanks for checking in, I just think I’m about to get a cold that’s all.”  
  
“Well then it’s good the holidays are coming up, we get to go home and rest for a bit and spend time with our families, yeah?”  
  
Hermione smiled sadly. “Yeah, that’s always a nice thing to look forward to.” Hermione went back to reading something that definitely wasn’t on the syllabus, or at least… Seamus thought?  
  
“Er, Hermione?”  
  
“Yes, Seamus?”  
  
“We’re not getting quizzed on that, are we?”  
  
Hermione looked puzzled and looked at the book. “Oh!” She laughed. “No, heh, this is just research. I'm thinking about doing a study on memory charms. They are quite fascinating”  
  
Seamus couldn’t pinpoint it, but the way she said that seemed like this was more than just a strictly academic study.  
  
“Oh yeah, that does sound interesting. Might really help with studying for a test or recalling important details, like auror stuff. You thinking of becoming an auror like Ron and Harry?”  
  
“Yeah, I am considering it, and thanks for at least sounding interested. I know my extra reading can be a bit boring,” said Hermione.  
  
All Seamus could think was, ‘That was total bollocks. This is Hermione Granger, and yeah she does a bit too much of extra reading, but usually she jumps at the chance to engage with anybody on the stuff she’s reading.’ Her expression spoke volumes; this was not something she liked to talk about, so Seamus decided to leave it.  
  
“Hey, Hermione? I gotta finish this essay on Ancient Runes, what was the book you recommended?”  
  
Hermione perked up at that. “Oh, it was _Runes: Quest of the Unknown_. It was really helpful! Oh but I think Daphne Greengrass is using it right now. Although she’d probably let you share it alongside her, she’s in one of the reserved rooms.”  
  
“Wicked, thanks, Hermione.”  
  
“You’re welcome, Seamus!” Hermione grinned and went straight back into reading.

 

~~~

 

Seamus went to look for Daphne, he’d run into her a lot since spending time in the library. Hermione and Daphne had been paired together in Runes since Hermione started taking it in fourth year. If Hermione was the brightest witch of their year, Daphne may have been second, she just wasn’t as well rounded. There were certain subjects that if Daphne wasn’t interested, she didn’t bother, but with Hermione distracted and Daphne always here, it made more sense to go to Daphne. Daphne kept the door ajar so he found her. Knocking gently, he said, “Hey Daphne, how are you?”  
  
Daphne looked up and smirked. “Well hello, Mr. Finnegan, I’m well, how are you?”  
  
“Could be better, this Ancient Runes essay is kicking my arse for sure.”  
  
“I have that book Hermione recommended, do you want to take a look?”  
  
“That would be fantastic! And um actually, I think Hermione needs a minute so I was wonderin’ if I could stay here for a bit?”  
  
Daphne nodded. “It’s that thing again, isn’t it?”  
  
“Yeah, she’s all out of sorts and I dunno what’s bothering her, but I don’t want to pry.”  
  
Daphne made room for Seamus to sit down, “Whatever it is, she’ll figure it out, I just hope if she does need help she’ll ask for it.”  
  
Seamus smiled without humor. “Yeah, I think she’s at least confided in Susan.”  
  
“That’s a relief, here, what are you having trouble with?”  
  
“Everything.” Seamus and Daphne laughed.  
  
Daphne went over all the points Seamus was having the most difficulty with, and the book helped fill in some of the gaps as well. Without realizing it, Seamus’ hand brushed against Daphne’s, and Daphne not so absentmindedly slowly interlocked her fingers with his. Seamus may be a bit thick at times, but even he noticed that.  
  
“Daphne?”  
  
Daphne looked at him unapologetically. “Yes, Seamus?”  
  
“Err—” Before Seamus could even finish that thought, they both heard a very frustrated Hermione Granger yell and throw the book she was reading across the room. Seamus and Daphne both got up and went straight to her.  
  
“Granger, are you okay?” Daphne was concerned but a little annoyed. She nearly had Finnigan in her clutches after all.  
  
“Yeah, what happened, you gave us a bit of a fright.” Seamus rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
Hermione looked like she was on the verge of tears but quickly composed herself. “I—I got carried away, I guess… sorry.”  
  
Without missing a beat, Daphne said, “Okay well, Seamus and I were going to wrap it up here, did you want to come with us?”  
  
“Oh no, I need to do a bit more reading… Thanks, though.”  
  
“Sure thing, night, Hermione.”  
  
“Night, guys.”  
  
“See you tomorrow,” Seamus mumbled lamely.  
  
As Seamus and Daphne left the library, Daphne took it upon herself to be the one to talk before the awkward silence settled in.  
  
“So, that’s the most stressed I’ve ever seen her, you’re sure she’s okay?”  
  
“To be honest? I’m not sure myself, but it’s Hermione, it will be okay eventually, and all that.”  
  
“I suppose it makes you think, though, doesn’t it?”  
  
“Sorry?”  
  
“Well, this is going to be a terrible thing to say, but it’s nice to know she’s not perfect.”  
  
“You’re right, that’s not a nice thing to say.” Seamus smiled. “But I get what you mean. She’s going to work herself sick.”  
  
“It must be hard, everyone thinking you’re this unstoppable force who has all the answers. I know it eats away at the one and only Draco Malfoy.”  
  
Seamus raised his eyebrows. “Not really? Malfoy admitting to not being perfect? Now that’s a scandal.”  
  
Daphne laughed then paused. “I’ve never been so happy to be a part of the background.”  
  
“I know whatcha mean. I used to want to be a part of the spotlight but forget that,” said Seamus.  
  
“Look at what all of you are going through right now, and just how are you dealing with it?”  
  
“Pardon?”  
  
“The Letter?”  
  
“Oh right, I forgot about that.”  
  
Daphne snorted. “Right, because an anonymous love letter that the gruesome threesome made into a betting pool and radio show is somehow forgettable.”  
  
“The gruesome threesome?”  
  
“Lee, and the weasels, it’s the best I could do on short notice.”  
  
“Riiiight, them. Oh but er yeah the letter? It’s not for me.”  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“Oh please, Greengrass, why would it be?”  
  
Daphne shrugged. “ I dunno, but if I had written a letter like that, it definitely would have been for you.” She smirked. “Night, Seamus.” Daphne went down to the Slytherin dungeon, leaving Seamus completely dumbfounded for about two seconds, and then he realized what exactly she meant and groaned thinking about how much he blew it… Then he had a thought, and he ran up to the Gryffindor common room, rushing past Dean.  
  
“Seamus? You alright?” Dean asked.  
  
“Yeah, yeah, I just have to write this thing.”  
  
“Essay?”  
  
“No, I gotta write Daphne Greengrass a letter.”  
  
“Oh?” Dean asked with a lot more interest, “Study sessions going well then?”  
  
“Yes, very.”  
  
Seamus used a school owl to send his letter to Daphne. Scribbled on it said, _“If I had written the letter, it would have been to you too, and considering I have now… Wanna give dating a go?”_  
  
Daphne smiled at the letter and wrote back _“Well Finnigan, if you insist… I suppose I could be generous. After all, you Gryffindors are in need of some sort of charity for your obliviousness. See you tomorrow, Seamus, hopefully, you’ll start paying more attention. xoxo.”_  


 

~~~

  
  
**Lee:** Hello, this is Lee Jordan from Hogwarts Hot Topics interviewing Miss Daphne Greengrass! How are you, Daphne? **  
  
**Daphne:** ** Hullo, I’m alright I suppose. *Daphne checks her fingernails for any chipped paint, already bored.*  
**  
**Lee:** ** I’m glad you’re well! So let’s get to it, word is you and Seamus were seen— **  
  
**Daphne:** ** Yes, Seamus and I are seeing each other. No, I did not write the letter. The Letter is not for him. **  
  
**Lee:** ** Oh—well wow, that’s quite helpful, how do you know it’s not for him? **  
  
**Daphne:** ** Oh I don’t, but if anyone even thinks about coming forward in an attempt to win over my boyfriend… Well, how should I put this? They’ll wish they hadn’t. *Shoots him the most frightening smirk he’d ever seen* Now, you'll stay out of Seamus and my business, won’t you?  
**  
**Lee:** R** -Right, well er—Thank you, Daphne, um and congrats to you and Seamus, erm, yeah, I guess w-we’re done, h-heh **.  
  
**Daphne:** ** Thank you, Lee. You’re far less stupid than people give you credit for. *With that Daphne glides out of the recording studio* **  
  
**Lee:** ** *barely audible* I think I just looked the angel of death in the face and somehow came out the other side. *Lee quickly snaps out of it and finishes up the show* Erm right, that’s it for Hogwarts Hot Topics, and I’m going to hug Fred and George now.


	5. Books, Trains and Planes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hermione has had enough, but finds comfort in a new friend and old. Also Theo baby suffers but he's going to be happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Here’s the standard ‘I don’t own HP and I’m not making any money off of this,’ speech, because lol I don’t. Though there is a lot of hurt/comfort in this. It’s WAAAAY more comfort than hurt. Please forgive the formatting of the Radio show and the Radio Show’s name… It was meant to be a placeholder but I couldn’t think of anything to replace it with.
> 
> A/N: Special thanks in this chapter to OrgnzdChaos for the ethical issue in this chapter, and Traincat for helping me on this kiss scene cuz there was a time while writing this I said, "Holy crap I forgot how to write kiss scenes." and she helped out with some tips.  
> Also I apologize I realize this chapter is closer to M than T  
> ^___^'''''''

“Fuck!” Hermione shouted.  
  
Hermione Granger felt defeated. Every book, every interview, every scrap of research pointed to one thing. She was never going to recover her parents’ memories. She could feel the pressure against her eyes and fully expected to start crying at any moment until Daphne and Seamus came to check on her. She was used to keeping it in at this point, and so she waited until they left to let it out.  
  
“What have I _done?_ ”  
  
“Granger?” The familiar voice struck her, and she tried desperately to stop crying.  
  
Recognizing the voice instantly, she put her guard back up. “I’m fine, Malfoy.”  
  
It was a reflex. She didn’t need to put her guard up, after all he was not even remotely close to the bullying boy she thought he was when they were young.  
  
Hesitantly Draco Malfoy approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder. People often referred to him as Malfoy, and if he heard certain people call him anything but, then it just felt weird. However he always held out hope that one day she would call him Draco, but that didn’t matter right now. The fact that Hermione was crying or on the verge of crying was far more important.  
  
“You’re not… D’you want me to get Susan or Ginny?”  
  
“No, Malfoy, I said I’m fine!” He flinched, but she continued. “I’m sorry, I just need to be alone right now.”  
  
He paused, but then sat down. “No.”  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“No, Granger. Everyone around you is worried sick, Ginger Weasel and Potter are hilariously losing their minds, Susan is barely keeping it together. It _is_ very hard for her right now. I mean, after all, she’s working with Longbottom, Neville Longbottom, as in the Neville Longbottom she’s been fancying since 4th year.”  
  
She smiled at that; it was cute to see Neville and Susan together, but Malfoy continued, “Look, you’re not okay, and since I am insufferable and you are annoying, Hermione Granger, it is my personal responsibility to goad you until you have to tell me what’s what.” He noticed Hermione looked like she had calmed down a bit, so he asked softly, “So, what’s really going on?”  
  
“I don’t know why I’m telling you this but… Before the war… I—I erased my parents’ memories. I’ve visited them a couple of times. I’ve tried everything, and sometimes I get lucky and they remember me for a handful of seconds, but nothing sticks past that. I didn’t mean to make it this strong, I just wanted them to be safe.”  
  
‘There I go again,’ she thought to herself, she was so sick of feeling so helpless.  
  
“Okay. Look, I know I’m not your favorite person in these situations but I do have an entire library of books back at… home. Some of them not even Hogwarts has, so here’s what we’re going to do, Granger. Make a list of all the book’s you’ve read, and I’ll owl for the books Hogwarts doesn’t have. I’m going to help you with this. No, you don’t get a say in it, because you look like the walking dead and clearly you need someone to help you do some research, so move over.”  
  
Hermione didn’t even want to say no, she was so tired she was hearing colors and seeing sounds. “Y-you’d really do that?”  
  
Malfoy stared at her as if she were insane. “Yes, Granger, after what we’ve been through? Trust me, we’re there. I think if even we haven’t been ‘friendly’ during the war, or since its end, we’ve spent enough time together to be friends by default.”  
  
She let out a soft chuckle, and Malfoy was grateful that she was at least laughing at all.  
  
“So, books, now Granger, the Holidays are coming up in a little over a month or so, and we’re going to figure this out by then. Right?”  
  
“You’re still the worst. I hope you realize that.” Hermione chortled  
  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever, Granger, books, now.”  
  
Hermione handed him a couple of books from her to-be-read pile on memory charms, and luckily for the both of them she had already made a list of all the books she’d read so she wouldn’t read the same thing twice. She quickly scribbled down a list of all the books she wanted to read that Hogwarts didn’t own. Draco took the list and started checking books he knew the Manor had.  
  
“Alright, this is good. I’ll get someone to grab them from the Manor and send them along.”  
  
“Again, thank you… I hate asking for help. Everything is usually easier than this…”  
  
“Granger, this isn’t a classroom setting, you’re exhausted, and you’re way too hard on yourself. As much fun as it is to see you suffer, it’s just sad at this point. I’ve seen you work, you would have annihilated this if it had been anything else, but this is too much to do by yourself, even you need help sometimes. So come on, let’s just thunder through this.”  
  
“Thunder through it?”  
  
“Shut up, Granger, I’m trying to make a point. You’re used to relying on yourself because Potter and Weasley are lazy. Even with you, they’d be distracted, they’re great for emotional support I suppose, but when it comes to solving things, you need people who work hard.”  
  
“They work hard! Ron was a prefect!”  
  
“Yeah, but he’s one of those people who gets concepts, and gets good enough grades—sometimes even great grades without really trying. You don’t. They’re tolerable enough—ugh don’t tell them I said that out loud—but even you have to admit they’re somewhat incompetent when it comes to real research. However, you do need the gits, so start unloading on them so you can have someone to talk to, meanwhile, let us hard working people aka me, Susan, and Neville help you solve the problem.”  
  
“Oh fine, as long as you shut up, I’ll agree.” The truth is she knew she needed help, but she needed the kind Malfoy was offering the books and the research help of course, but, she also needed Harry and Ron but she couldn’t ask them for this kind of work. Not because they couldn’t do it, but because Malfoy was right, she knew they wouldn’t be able to keep up at her pace. So Malfoy deciding to help? Yes, please.  
  
“Oh my god, dammit, where are Weasleys and Jordon? I need that recorded or in writing. Did you, Hermione Granger, just agree with me, therefore saying I was right?”  
  
“You’re pushing it, Malfoy.”  
  
“But you did, right?”  
  
“Urgh yes. I agree with you, now let’s get to it.”  
  
“Yes, Professor Granger.”  
  
“Ah, I now remembered exactly why I hated you, twitchy ferret-faced fiend.”  
  
“Nope, you totally were infatuated with me, especially since I’m the reason you got to shrink your teeth down.”  
  
“What?!”  
  
“Shhh, Granger, we are in the library.”  
  
“That was one of the most traumatic things I ever went through. Everyone made fun of me!”  
  
“No offense, but everyone always made fun of you.”  
  
“I actually despise you, now.” She made sure she said this in a jovial tone so that he knew she was kidding.   
  
“No, you don’t,” said Draco coyly.  
  
“I guess not… but why did you use that particular spell?”  
  
“Oh I overheard you talking about it to Susan, but because your parents were teeth healers—”  
  
“Dentists.”  
  
“Is there really a difference? No? Didn’t think so. As I was saying before you rudely interrupted. I heard you talking to Susan about it and how ‘it would be so easy to fix and straightening can be achieved with braces, whatever they are, but that would take much longer.’” Hermione gave Malfoy a look that could kill so he wrapped it up. “So I gave your teeth an engorgement charm, that way your parents couldn’t complain because it had to be fixed.”  
  
“You are a sad, strange little boy.”  
  
“Yeah well, I guess it was a backward way of helping, sort of like steering you, Potter, and Weasley away from the Death Eaters during the Quidditch World Cup.”  
  
Hermione gaped at him; she had completely forgotten about that.  
  
Malfoy cleared his throat. “Anyway, reading time, yeah?”  
  
“Oh? Right, yes, thanks um again… for everything really.”  
  
“You too, Granger.”  
  
It was unspoken, but they had an understanding, both of them had a history of being unkind to each other, but they acknowledged that things may have ended a lot differently if they hadn’t helped each other almost a year ago in the Malfoy Manor. Upon that, they read until the Library closed for the night and decided they would meet up tomorrow for their research on how to heal Hermione’s parents. Unfortunately, it would take a long longer than either of them suspected.  
  


~~~

  
  
Susan was tired, so very, very tired, but she had to make sure these hybrids that she bred together were perfect. It looked like these little guys might actually do the trick, unlike all of the other plants she’d bred together. Susan had been wishing for them to just mature without a hiccup in their growth but since when was life—especially theirs—ever easy?  
  
She sighed loudly only to jump when Neville knocked at the Greenhouse door.  
  
“Oh hi, Neville…”  
  
“Sorry, Susan, didn’t mean to startle you… You look a lot more tired than usual, you should take a break. I can watch over your plants.”  
  
“No way. Neville, mine might work, ‘might’ being the operative word there, yours undoubtedly will. You’re basically the god of Herbology, I’ll look after my little guys…”  
  
“Susan, your plants are great, also, I’m not the god of Herbology.”  
  
“Neville, you are, and sorry it’s just getting more and more difficult… Hermione’s never let me down, and every time my plants almost work, key word there being almost, it kills me. I’d rather have nothing happen than to give Hermione a minute of hope before it fails again… I just don’t know how to fix it…”  
  
“I know, but you’re not the only one. I feel it too being so close, but it’s just not enough, not by a long shot.” Neville sighed.  
  
“It was a charm that did it, so a charm might be the only way to fix it.”  
  
“Yeah, I s’pose, but on the other hand, none of Hermione’s charms have worked, have they?”  
  
“No… I—I can’t even imagine… I mean I can in a way, I lost my parents, then my aunt but… it’s really not the same.”  
  
Susan shut herself up in the nick of time. Of course Neville knew, that’s why he was so invested in this. He had created a plant hybrid that had been successfully treating his parents. So it was a shock to everyone when it didn’t work on Hermione’s, but unfortunately, different traumas called for different cures. Still, she could tell how badly he felt about it, how badly they all felt about everything. Meanwhile, it was no one’s fault. Susan broke the silence that had fallen between them by realizing her plants were going to wilt if she didn’t remove them from the light.  
  
“AH! They matured quicker than I thought, no nonono!” Susan did her best to move them quickly, and Neville helped save the ones furthest away from her. Between the two of them, they managed to save the whole stock.  
  
“Phew, close one,” said Neville. “So, erm, what are these?”  
  
“Well, these are hybrids between Moly to help counteract the memory charm especially since it’s used in awakening potions like the Wiggenweld potion. So I thought, it might ‘awaken’ dormant memories, and well, Dittany. I know Dittany is typically used cure physical wounds but I thought—”  
  
“Oh right, it’s restorative healing powers might work with the Moly. Susan, that’s brilliant! I didn’t even think of that what I did was breed Galanthus Nivalis with Bloom berries.”  
  
“Neville, that’s amazing, I didn’t know you did that. Bloom berries are also used in the Wiggenweld. The Galanthus Nivalis helps heal memory illnesses, right? Maybe if our hybrids went into a potion that could actually work! See, you are the Herbology God.”  
  
Neville blushed. “Again, I wouldn’t go that far. Trouble is, how do we even test this?”  
  
“I dunno… we would need a volunteer, and even then we still don’t know the possible side effects or anything.”  
  
“I have a pretty horrible idea…”  
  
“I doubt it, Neville, why what is it?”  
  
“Well… maybe we should test it on someone who also suffered from a strong memory charm? Maybe someone like… Gilderoy Lockhart.”  
  
Susan’s eyes widened. “What?”  
  
“Well, I mean we obviously ask the Healers if it’s okay and if you know he’d consent to try it…”  
  
“Neville, he doesn’t even remember magic is real anymore.”  
  
“Well, yeah.”  
  
“So you’re saying we should use our potential cure on Gilderoy Lockhart. The same Gilderoy Lockhart who hurt a ton of people just to get famous. The Gilderoy Lockhart who was going to let Ginny die in the Chamber of Secrets and who was going to Obliviate Harry and Ron. Why on earth would we do that?”  
  
“If it cures him, it could cure his victims and Hermione’s parents. Also, he’d remember everything and could stand trial afterward. Also, it’s not like he won’t understand that it is an experimental treatment, and like I said, of course, we’d consult his Healers.”  
  
“Okay, but what if the Healers say no?”  
  
“Oh… I dunno we give it to Hermione hoping for the best? Maybe we can work with animals and ask the Healers for help?”  
  
“That could work. Hopefully, plan A will work and the Healers will approve, but plan B isn’t so bad. So it might take longer than we’d hope, but this still could work. Who knows maybe Lockhart will be able to take it, and we can work with Draco on the potion aspect of it, you know, give Hermione a bit of a break?”  
  
“Alright, Susan, that’s the spirit.”  
  
“Okay! Let’s do this!”  
  


~~~

  
  
After much of trial and error, Neville, Susan, and Malfoy had finally brewed a potion that didn’t evaporate, blow up, or melt their cauldron. This project had been exhausting, and all of their eyes had bags under them that were as dark as Hermione’s. They had had a number of bumps in the road and hit a wall when they had no way of testing the potion to make sure it was safe. Well, until Trevor missed catching a fly—that had landed on the rim of the cauldron—and inadvertently drank some of the potion instead.  
  
Poor Neville had been terrified, but after 20 minutes with Susan and Draco calming him down, they realized Trevor was okay. Since Trevor hadn’t died, everyone came to the conclusion that the potion was suitable for consumption, and therefore ready to try on Lockhart. Well… If the Healers allowed it, anyway.  
  
They were finalizing the arrangements when Susan asked, “Maybe we should tell Hermione after all, I mean… It feels like we’re lying to her.”  
  
“I know what you mean,” said Neville. “But Susan, you said it yourself ages back, it’s better for it to not work than to give her false hope. I mean, can you imagine if this doesn’t work?”  
  
“It would crush her, Susan.” Malfoy sighed. “I don’t think she can handle another blow right now. If it doesn’t work out, then we’ll work on more potions and plant hybrids. At least it will give us a general direction to follow.”  
  
“True.” Susan yawned. “Let’s hope Lockhart and his Healers say yes to this and that it works. It just has to. No, This will work. It will because everyone is slowly getting back to normal. Everyone is slowly healing, and it’s Hermione’s turn. I believe in this potion, and I believe in all the hard work we’ve all done. I have hope this will work, besides it would be a pretty great Christmas present to give to her.” Susan looked like she was ready to pass out from exhaustion, and she knew she just sounded like a raving lunatic, but she didn’t feel it. For the first time in a long time, she felt a pure sense of joy, and it was contagious. Soon they were all feeling optimistic and thoroughly excited for the next day.  
  
The plan was simple. Hermione felt bad for dodging Harry and Ron the past couple of weeks so she’d agree to go on a trip to Hogsmeade, just the three of them. Unbeknownst to her, Ron and Harry had been the ones to arrange this little distraction, allowing Susan and Neville to go up to St. Mungo’s. Harry and Ron also planned a small party in the Gryffindor common room to further distract her just in case Susan and Neville needed a little more time than anticipated.  
  
The pair of them were to send owls back as soon as they knew if the potion had worked, if it hadn’t, or if they even had gotten a chance to give it to Lockhart.  
  
With the plan set, they all went their separate ways to their own dorms. Neville, of course, had split from them early on, heading up towards Gryffindor Tower. Leaving Susan and Malfoy did the familiar split. They hugged goodnight, then she headed towards the kitchens while he went downstairs to the Slytherin dorms. He felt like he was walking through water, everything felt heavy, and that’s what he blamed his insane jealousy on.  
  
Yes. He conceded that he wasn’t thrilled at the idea of Potter and Weasley being included in this plan. He was particularly sore over the fact that they would be with her all day, which meant they would undoubtedly be the ones to tell her the news from Susan and Longbottom.  
  
_‘What’s wrong with me?’_ he thought to himself. _‘I don’t matter here. Wasn’t this the whole point? To make sure she was okay? To help fix something that—ok, I didn’t directly do this to her, but I did a lot of bad stuff to her. Who cares if I’m not the one who gets to tell her? I do, I do, and I need to stop. Stop it right now. Hermio—Granger, she is going to get her life back. Dammit, stop being selfish. You finally did something right, so don’t muck it up now, and go to sleep before you get interrogated by Blaise, Theo, and Daphne yet again.’_ With that, he marched himself to his bed and just collapsed on it instantly going to sleep.  
  


~~~

  
  
**Lee:** It’s less than a week ’til Holidays, and we still haven’t made much progress with Letterpool so to kick things up a notch, we are now going to try interviewing the first people we see. Ah! Look, here’s Neville Longbottom.  
  
**Neville:** *sighing heavily* H-Hey guys, I don’t really have the time today, and I dunno this seems very personal and private, I don’t think this very nice to Hermione, Harry, Seamus, and Lavender. I especially don’t think it’s nice that people are betting on this as if it’s some sort of sporting event…  
  
**Fred:** Aw, Neville, come on, it’s meant to be in good spirits!  
  
**Neville:** I know you think it is but—  
  
**George:** Think of it this way, what if our investigation puts these two closer together? Maybe the sender just needs a push of courage eh?  
  
**Neville:** I—I guess, but I still don’t like this…  
  
**Lee** : Well, well, Neville, and did you write the letter?  
  
**Neville:** Huh?  
  
**Fred:** You do seem a little defensive.  
  
**Neville:** A little defens—look you guys. No, I did not write the letter, I just think this is an invasion of privacy and like I said, I have to go.  
  
**George:** Okay, okay, but Neville, if you wanted to wager a guess, who would you pick?  
  
**Neville:** Well… I dunno maybe Th—Oh hey Susan, time to go? Right, sorry, guys, I have to go to St. Mungo’s, and come on, ease up, will you? *Neville leaves with Susan*  
  
**Lee:** Well, well, leaving with Susan Bones to go to St. Mungo’s? That’s a bit of a stretch. I wonder where they’re really going?  
  
**George:** Or maybe it was just Susan saving Neville from us? Who really knows with those two.  
  
**Fred:** Yeah, I’ll bet that was just Neville dodging us. Who knows maybe they are going on a date. Ooooh, maybe Susan wrote the letter for him, but the letter got knocked around so much, that it fell in the wrong place completely!  
  
**Lee:** Oh? Now that would be interesting—Oh hello! Theodore Nott, want to comment or make a bet for Letterpool?  
  
**Theo:** Theo’s fine, and I dunno.  
  
**Fred:** Oh c’mon, Nott, unless you wrote it, perhaps?  
  
**Theo:** Like I said, Theo’s fine, but no, I didn’t write the letter. I should have written a letter like that… Heh, I wonder how many people have said that since The Letter. You I thought about sending one once, but nothing ever became of it—Why? Y-You don’t think it’s for Lavender, do you? Did anyone bet it was for her? How many people?  
  
…  
  
I mean what, what am I talking about? *Nervous laughter* I mean I don’t fancy Lavender Brown. I—I definitely don’t. I mean she’s like really nice and-and brave and stuff. Also compassionate, and kind and all that, but that doesn’t mean I like her.  
  
No. I definitely do not fancy Lavender Brown…  
  
Shit this is live, isn’t it?  
  
*Fred, George, and Lee evilly grin at him and give a quick nod*  
  
… I gotta go.  
  
*Theo Nott darts out of their broadcast to find Lavender at breakneck speed*  
  
**Fred:** Well, that was unexpected!  
  
**Lee:** No kidding!  
  
**George:** Good luck, Nott!  
  
**Lee:** Anyway, that was quite enough excitement for today. Actually, you know what? I’m going to wrap this up early. It will be our Holiday gift to the four letter candidates. So Happy Holidays, take care, don’t forget to miss something while packing off to go home. Bye, Hogwarts, see you next time for another session of Hogwarts Hot Topics on Letterpool. This is Lee Jordan signing off.  
  


~~~

  
  
After his disastrous interview with the radio hosts of Hogwarts Hot Topics, Theo ran to find Lavender Brown to try and explain himself. He found her, the Patil twins, and Hannah Abbott all together. They were having a small get together right before the holidays when our dear Theodore blundered into the group. After startling them, he realized he didn’t exactly have anything prepared to explain himself.  
  


~~~

  
  
“Lavender, hi, wow hi—hi um hi.” Theo could only cringe as heard his own words from the radio being used against him and how his vocabulary apparently consisted of the word ‘hi.’ He shook his head and told himself to get a grip. “Look, I can explain, they caught me off guard and—well yeah—and I yeah no, I’ve got nothing.”  
  
“HA!” Parvati cried and pointed at Lavender. “I knew it, I totally knew it. I told you! I told you, Lavender. I knew he fancied her. I knew you fancied her.”  
  
Normally, Lavender would have snapped at Parvati (who was thoroughly enjoying Theo’s suffering,) but Lavender couldn’t speak, she couldn’t do anything but breathe and stare at him. Meanwhile, all he could think to do was bury his face in his hands and groaned.  
  
Lavender felt her cheeks burn. “I-is that why you started becoming so distant since this summer? I mean so… you do fancy me?”  
  
Theo swallowed and looked down. “Yeah I—Yeah…”  
  
Lavender: “Well you should have just said so, you idiot, we could have started dating ages ago.”  
  
Theo raised his head out of his hands. “Wait, what?”  
  
“Well, this letter business had me thinking, and I knew The Letter could never be from you—the handwriting—but I wanted it to be.”  
  
Lavender was dreading what was about to follow. This seemed like it was too easy, that somehow this was either an elaborately cruel practical joke or that he’d suddenly come to his senses and change his mind. Judging by the look on Theodore Nott’s face, neither of those things seemed plausible.  
  
“Really?” Theo blinked. “Well, I don’t know about you, but if dating would be like anything it was this summer, I think it would be fun. Look, I’m not great with words, and I don’t know if I’d colossally mess this up, and I’m so sorry I didn’t ask sooner… but yeah um would you want to go out with me?”  
  
“Yes.” Lavender gave him the sincerest smile. “That would be pretty great, maybe um we could see each other over the Holidays too?”  
  
“Yeah, that’d be wicked.”  
  
Lavender made a quick nod. “Deal.”  
  
Theo couldn’t help grinning. “Yeah, wow um. Oh.” Theo looked around the room and realized they weren’t alone. “Right, I should let you guys celebrate. Happy Holidays, everyone.”  
  
Theo crept out of the abandoned classroom, leaving the girls, who were softly giggling.  
  
“That was adorable!” Hannah squealed.  
  
“Theo Nott, who’d have known?” Padma mused.  
  
Lavender could feel herself blushing. “Anyway. Sorry, guys, didn't mean for the, erm. brief interruption?”  
  
“Are you kidding? That was amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone from Slytherin that frazzled in my life!” Hannah couldn’t help from bouncing up and down in her seat.  
  
“Well, he is pretty cute.” Lavender looked at the door fondly.  
  
"Cheers.” Parvati raised her glass. “To me being right, to Lavender and Theo, and to the Holidays!  
  
“Cheers!”  
  
Everyone clinked their glasses and started laughing at the amount of butterbeer spilled on the floor. They did their annual Holiday gift exchange and ended it with Parvati and Lavender threatening to play matchmaker for Padma and Hannah.  
  
It was going to be a very Happy Holiday indeed.  
  


~~~

  
  
“Sorry, Susan, thanks for getting me out of there,” said Neville, glancing at Theo sympathetically.  
  
“Oh don’t worry about that, besides I think the twins forgot what we were doing today. Oh poor Theo, that’s got to suck.”  
  
“You’re really close to the Slytherins, aren’t you?”  
  
“Yeah, it just sort of happened. Flitwick, in an attempt at house unity, made the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins sit together during our first year. Eventually, everyone just sat where they liked, but Draco and I were used to studying together so we just stuck with it. Plus we both did an equal share of work, and no one is really bothered by Hufflepuffs, you know? Well, except Zacharias, hmm, I’m not quite sure what’s wrong with that boy but I think he’s calmed down a bit.”  
  
“Yeah he is sort of a special case. Anyhow we should probably get to the Hogwarts Express before Hermione sees us.”  
  
“Definitely, although I will miss the interviews from Hogwarts Hot Topics.”  
  
“You cannot be serious.”  
  
“Hey, I know this will sound ridiculous and reveal how much of a hopeless romantic I am, but you have to admit the Letter has brought back a certain sense of joy to the school.”  
  
Neville chuckled. “Aww.”  
  
Susan hit his arm playfully. “I’m serious, it’s sweet. I mean the sender obviously meant what they said. I mean no one’s come forward right? Didn’t the sender say that the letter was just to let the recipient know how much they loved them? They weren’t expecting anything in return. It’s just nice and thoughtful.”  
  
“Wow, I dunno what to say to that.” Neville was in awe of Susan’s insight. After all, she had a good point, as soon once the letter had dropped, Hogwarts felt more like a school and less like the ruins of a war zone. “The only thing to really say is you’re right, the letter is nice and as chaotic as everything is, it does feel like a weird sense of normal, doesn’t it?”  
  
“Yes, it does.” Susan smiled and with that they drifted into a peaceful sleep, waking up in King’s Cross realizing they had fallen asleep on each other. Both of them blushed whilst hurrying to get their stuff off of the train.  
  
“Sorry, Susan, about er sleeping on you,” said Neville.  
  
“I’m guilty of that as well, I guess we needed the sleep?” Susan snorted lightly, before looking up at St. Mungo’s.  
  
“Well, here we go.”  
  


~~~

  
  
It didn’t take very long finding Gilderoy Lockhart; it took less time for his team of Healers to refuse using their memory potion. They deflated instantly and sat down in the waiting room, astounded that they’d been refused before even making their case.  
  
“I can’t believe it… I just can’t believe they said no.” Susan put their vial of the memory potion on the small table next to her. She could feel the tears brimming quickly wiping them away before Neville could notice. Maybe it was because she was so sure it would work, but she cracked and let out a sob, “All that work, all that research, and it’s not worth anything!”  
  
“Hey, stop that. Look we just can’t test it on Lockhart, we could try volunteer testing or maybe talk to a family member of another person who suffered through a similar memory charm. We’re not out of options yet, don’t give up, I haven’t.”  
  
“I know all of that rationally, but it’s going to take so much longer. I just wanted to help Hermione fix this now. She’s been waiting so long,” Susan took a deep breath, “I just—I just had a feeling that this would work…”  
  
A silence fell between them. Neville had to admit he thought the same thing. He was so sure this would work. There were plenty of options but it would have been nice if it had run smoothly. Neville was pulled out of his train of thought when Susan cried out in surprise. A new Healer attending to Lockhart was about to give him his daily potion when he’d bumped into the table right next to her, thus knocking over the vial he was supposed to administer to Lockhart and their vial.  
  
“Sorry about that!” said the Healer. He quickly picked up the two vials, putting theirs back on the table and taking Lockhart’s to him.  
  
Or so they thought. Susan took a look at the vial and puzzled over why the potion didn’t look the same and why was the vial a different shape—Susan stood up. “Oh no! Nonono no!!!”  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
“He took the wrong vial, Neville, when he bumped into the table he took our vial and left his.”  
  
“What?!” Neville ran forward. “Wait, stop! You’ve got the wrong—” Before he could even finish the sentence Lockhart had downed their potion. “Oh no…”  
  
Neville quickly explained to the Healer what had happened and a team of them swarmed over to Lockhart. Everyone held their breath for what seemed like ages until Lockhart looked around the room.  
  
“What the devil am I doing in St. Mungo’s? Wasn’t I teaching at Hogwarts just a few moments ago?” All of a sudden all of his memories came rushing back to him. “Oh now I remember… oh dear.”  
  
After that everything was a blur. Healers went to examine Lockhart at an inhuman speed while Neville and Susan stood there dumbfounded. The first hour had gone by with Lockhart retaining all of his memories, then the second with him still retaining them. The third hour came around, and he still remembered everything. It had been the longest any patient who had suffered a traumatic memory charm injury retained their memories, and it looked like the cure was permanent. They were going to keep Lockhart for observation (but also because he would have to face the Wizengamot for his crimes against his fellow witches and wizards).  
  
The Healers had circled around Susan and Neville, asking them so many questions they both felt like they’d been Confunded. After their interrogation Susan and Neville went to send the owls grinning in their triumph.  
  


~~~

  
  
Malfoy had gotten the owl and no doubt Potter and Weasley had too, despite feeling an acute jealousy plus and resentment, he felt himself smile. _‘We did it.’_ He marched up to the Library lost in his thoughts and trying to ignore the party he could hear from Gryffindor tower. He was going to have a restful study session until the Ginger Weasel stormed up beside him.  
  
“Oi! Malfoy! For fuck’s sake, I’ve been looking for you since we got the bloody owl!” A very annoyed Ron glared.  
  
Malfoy rolled his eyes. “Why? Shouldn’t you be celebrating with Granger? Leave me be, peasant.”  
  
“Look you annoying, gross bouncing ferret—”  
  
“Oh give it a rest with that, will you?”  
  
“Shut up, Malfoy! Just listen for once in your plaguing existence. Come up to Gryffindor Tower.”  
  
He cocked his eyebrow. “Why would I do that? To suffer through your pathetic attempts to insult me with your inadequate brain?”  
  
“Look, I don’t like you either, but,” Malfoy rolled his eyes while Ron ignored him and continued, “that’s not to say I don’t respect you.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“We didn’t tell Hermione yet, arse. I told Harry we should wait for you to tell her—and I’m getting to the reason, you rude git, so don’t interrupt—I told him to wait because no matter what we think about you, no matter our history… You gave her back to us. It’s no secret she was becoming a shell of what she once was, and even with Susan and Neville’s help, she was breaking. All we could do was watch. She wouldn’t let us in, she wouldn’t let us help. It was hopeless, and we were really afraid of losing her. It was only when you imposed yourself that she started coming back to the world. She only got better because you helped.  
  
“Harry and I, we’re good in tight spots. We can think on our feet and make snap tactical decisions quickly, we can to the brave and reckless things. What we couldn’t do is help her muddle through this. We couldn’t see the whole board so we didn’t know what would help her and what would hurt her. We would have just ended up snapping at each other, and honestly what good what that have done? All we could do was mess with her alarm thing so she could get more than two hours of sleep.  
  
“Everything changed when she had you to fall back on. You worked hard, and you kept working while she could rest. I don’t really care if it was guilt from when we were younger or if you always had this in you or what have you. The point is what you did for her didn’t go unnoticed. So… it just seems wrong for you to not be there when she finds out. It seems wrong to let you miss out on celebrating with us—with her.”  
  
Malfoy blinked. “Oh.”  
  
“Don’t get any ideas, Malfoy, I still think you’re a ferret-faced wanker, but you could be worse, I s’ppose.”  
  
“Okay then, good because I still hate you too, Weasley”  
  
“Right.”  
  
“Right.”  
  
Ron started to walk away from him, he realized Draco hadn’t moved from where he was standing.  
  
“Oi, you coming or what?!”  
  
Draco couldn’t really think of anything else to say so he just ended up following Ron into Gryffindor Tower. When they both entered, Hermione was pleasantly surprised, then Draco showed her the letter Neville and Susan had written. After some hugging, a lot of laughter and a couple of tears Hermione had managed to hug everything who moved in Gryffindor Tower (yes, that included Trevor). Much to Draco’s chagrin, he suffered through a hug from Potter and ugh—the entire Weasley clan too— he was pretty much convinced they only did so to torture him. After all of that Hermione started planning her trip down to Australia, forcing Draco to go with her. If he was honest, it didn’t take much convincing. Once the impromptu party started to calm down, Hermione went up to her room to pack but ended up crashing on her bed getting the best night’s sleep she’d had in over a year.  
  


~~~

  
  
“So this is an airport?” Malfoy looked at Heathrow like it was a Norwegian Ridgeback. Hermione chuckled, everything was finally coming together. Hermione wished that they could have had more time in Australia but because they’d book the flight in such short notice they were lucky to even go. The flight they had secured only bought them 3 days to find Hermione’s parents, give them the potion, and see if it worked then get back to school. Although it seemed like they would need a lot of luck was needed to pull this off, they were optimistic it would work. After all, they’d manage to come this far, hadn’t they?  
  
“Yes, Malfoy, it’s an airport, we’re going to get on a plane to Australia. Muggles use planes every day.”  
  
“Right… So these things are like the Ministry’s flying cars?”  
  
“Well yes, actually. Except bigger and it carries more people.”  
  
“Oh okay, well I guess here we go then, um, where that thing you said I needed? A passport.”  
  
“Oh uh yeah I have it.” Hermione smiled. “I can’t believe that’s all the explanation you need on muggle air travel.”  
  
“Well yeah I mean, it makes a certain sense, I guess. Also, I happen to fly on a broom if that’s safe this must be right?”  
  
“Well now Malfoy, you are certainly full of surprises.”  
  
“Easy now, you’re in danger of paying me a compliment.”  
  
Hermione let out a soft laugh and got them through security. That was the hardest bit; everything else went rather smoothly. Malfoy, aside from the occasional question, was pretty much silent throughout the trip. Flying to Australia was a long, long trip even in first class (compliments of Harry and Ron). It was very taxing. As soon as they got off the plane, they went to their hotel room to unpack and shower, only to discover of course they got one room not an adjoining two rooms.  
  
“Well, that figures, at least we got a double bed, not a single one.”  
  
“Honestly, Granger, I’m too bloody tired to care. Do you want to shower first or can I?”  
  
“Go for it. I feel like I have to wash my hair and that can take a while.”  
  
“Ok, afterward we sleep and then we find your parents tomorrow?”  
  
“Yes, definitely.”  
  
With that, he took some clothes into sleep in with him to the bathroom so he could change in peace. Hermione did the same then both of them crawled into their separate beds.  
  
“Night, Granger.”  
  
“Night, Malfoy… and er… thank you for coming with me.”  
  
“No worries, Mum’s still reconnecting with the rest of the Black/Tonks clan, and I didn’t really feel comfortable so really you spared me that agony.”  
  
“Still.” Hermione smiled. “It means a lot that you did.”  
  
“Sure thing, now let’s get some sleep.”  
  
With that, the two of them crashed from jet lag and exhaustion. Tomorrow it was off to see Hermione’s parents, which would be a lot more than they’d bargained for.  
  


~~~

  
  
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I knew I had forgotten to call someone. Dr. And Dr. Wilkins are on holiday right now. I can rebook your appointment, although if it is an emergency I could call them in.”  
  
“No, that’s alright, these things happen, thank you for all of your help.”  
  
After Hermione and Malfoy left the dentistry offices of Dr. Monica and Dr. Wendell Willkins aka the Grangers, Draco expected Hermione to lose hope, but it was quite the opposite.  
  
“Okay well that’s not ideal, but at least we know they’re still in town, and you know I came here with my parents when I was little. Anyway, I think I know where they might be, when do you want to head out?”  
  
“Well, it’s great to see you upbeat. Come on, Granger, there’s a wizarding part of the city, maybe we could ask around if we hit any dead ends?”  
  
Hermione agreed. Meanwhile, Malfoy was silently praying to whatever was listening that they’d find them soon, after all of this strife, could this one thing just be easy for her?  
  
So the first day had been a bit of a bust and the nerves were settling in. They only had three days until they had to be on a plane. They’d search beaches, shops, name it and they looked there.  
  
It wasn’t until the end of the second day when they took a break to eat that they got lucky. Malfoy went to great lengths to keep Hermione’s spirits up, which did help until Hermione looked across the restaurant they were at.  
  
“Oh, my god. I see them they’re right there.” Hermione’s words were barely audible. Draco spun around to look where she was, and sure enough, there they were. Hermione and Draco floundered a bit before figuring out a way to slip them the potion. They ordered the Grangers two glasses of champagne, slipping the potion into the glasses under the waiter’s nose. Hermione hovered around their table pretending to wait for the bathroom. She tried not to stare as they drank the potion in disguise. They swallowed enough of it for it to work, and just when Hermione had lost all hope, her mother looked up. “Hermione?”  
  


~~~

  
  
As you can imagine it was a very tearful and intimate reunion, which is why Malfoy introduced himself briefly and politely exited from the vicinity, letting Hermione spend some time with her parents alone. He could only imagine what they must be going through. He remembered his mother and trying to keep her safe while staying alive. This was Hermione’s version of that, but it was still going to be a very draining conversation, happy but enormously emotionally taxing. So he went back to their hotel to wait for her.  
  
_‘This is family time, god she needed this,’_ he told himself and smiled. _‘I’m so happy she’s ok.”_  
  


~~~

  
  
The Grangers caught up as well as they could have, given the limited amount of time Hermione could stay in Australia.  
  
“But you’re okay here? You’re both happy?”  
  
“Hermione of course we are.” Mrs. Granger reached out and held Hermione’s hands. “We really are, but my goodness what would have happened to you, if we couldn’t remember?”  
  
“Your mother’s right, Hermione, just thinking about how hard this must have been…” Mr. Granger was near tears but regained his composure. “We wish we could have been there for you, that’s all. You’re our little girl, Hermione, you always will be.”  
  
Hermione rubbed her eyes, “I wish I could have more time with you, but school…”  
  
“Hey… We’re back, Hermione. Let’s catch up as much as we can now, and once you graduate we’ll all the time in the world and then some.” Her mother smiled  
  
“Mum’s right, now is the time to enjoy life. We’re so proud of you, and we’re so happy that you're safe.”  
  
Hermione broke down laughing while crying, all the while sitting there catching up. They spent the whole rest of the day together, overnight, and finally saw her off to where she could floo back to Melbourne for her return trip to London. The only thing that puzzled her was what Mrs. Granger said to Hermione about Malfoy. Hermione agreed with her in the respect that Malfoy seemed like a “nice young man,” especially now that they knew why he did the things he did. What she didn’t understand was when Mrs. Granger added, “Funny the lengths people go to, for the ones that they love.”  
  
Whatever she meant, there was no way she was actually implying that the notorious Draco Malfoy “loved” Hermione. ‘ _That would be absolutely absurd._ Besides _it’s Malfoy. Sure, we’ve come a long way, but we haven’t come that far yet.’_ Hermione shook her head to get those thoughts out of her head. _‘Yeah, there’s no way that’s ever happening.’_  
  


~~~

  
  
“Hi, Malfoy!”  
  
“Oh hi, Granger, everything went well?”  
  
“Yes, it really did. Thank you for giving me space so I could be with them. They’re going to write me every week, so we can catch up, and so it will let me know if they’ve relapsed. I don’t think that’s an issue but heh you know just in case…” Hermione laughed nervously.  
  
“They won’t relapse, and of course, I was more than happy to give you guys your time. It would have been a little weird for me to be there. This was about you, for you. You deserve every single bit of happiness, Granger. After all, without you, we probably would have lost the war.”  
  
There was something familiar about the way he described her happiness, but Hermione supposed she was tired and had probably just read something similar somewhere. Still, something about it made her cheeks burn. This was all her mother’s fault because of that silly—ridiculous really—implication that Malfoy might actually fancy her.  
  
“I’m sorry that you couldn’t have more time with them. I can’t believe we have to fly back tomorrow.”  
  
“Why’s that? Did you finally realize that you need a bit of sun get rid of how sickly you look?” Hermione said, cocking her eyebrow while giving him a very cheeky smirk  
  
“Excuse me, Miss Granger, but did you just insult my flawless skin?”   
  
“You mean your pasty complexion? Then yes, yes I did.”  
  
“I could say something about your hair, but I’m a gentleman.”  
  
“Malfoy, you could not be a gentleman if your life depended on it.” Hermione chuckled  
  
“Annoying know-it-all.”   
  
“Annoying pasty ferret-faced git.”  
  
He was about to come back with something when all of a sudden Hermione decided she had been quite grown up enough in the last 1 and a half years. This is when she threw a pillow at Malfoy’s face, and it all went downhill from there and the feathers went flying.  
  
Normally they would have laughed and gotten something to eat or what have you. Normally they probably would have been worried at the clean up of feathers after their (awesome) escalation of immaturity, etc…  
  
However, in this particular moment, Hermione and Malfoy didn’t really care about what they normally would have done. So of course, as you’d expect they let their guards down, it’s what anyone would do when you’re kidding around with a person you trust. Which is how the following moment of disaster happened.  
  
They got caught up in the moment, the joy of it all was so consuming it was hard not to give in. Hermione was blissfully happy, and Malfoy found himself being happy just because she was. They both couldn’t remember how long it had been since they had laughed like this. Hermione was so focused on booping him on the nose one more time that she tripped. She had expected to come crashing with the floor, but instead, a strong pair of arms caught her instead.  
  
“Whoa, easy, Granger,” he said, still grinning  
  
“Sorry, thanks for the save.” She giggled, slightly out of breath from all running and laughing. They gazed into each other's eyes and slowly their grins began to disappear. They came to the stark realization of how close in proximity they were to each other. Hermione wrapped in Draco's arms completely still. All the levity had been sucked from the room. It was funny how quickly their laughter faded into silence, a million thoughts racing through their minds.  
  
He tried to look away from her, but he couldn’t stop gazing into her eyes, her gorgeous half lidded warm eyes. Draco caught himself silently pleading for Hermione to not look away. Hermione didn’t disappoint, she stayed there shocked at how much she liked being in his strong embrace. All the while thinking this couldn't possibly lead to anything... could it? This was Draco Malfoy, the boy who despised her, the boy who bullied her... The boy who grew up too quickly, the boy with an abusive father, the boy who did everything to save his mother, the boy who never forgave himself, the boy who helped save the world alongside her, alongside them all... The man who gave her, her life back. 

And Draco? Oh he was terrified at what he wanted to do, what he was about to do, and he was already lecturing himself to stop before he started. He was never good at following instructions, even when it was his own. 

After what seemed like an eternity he finally leaned down bowing his head to hers, she stood up on her toes to meet him, they kissed, and the whole world fell away.

The only thing that mattered was each other. It was soft at first his lips on hers before he even realized what he was doing he deepened the kiss pressing Hermione up against the wall. His long fingers tangling themselves into her hair. Hermione let out a soft moan in approval, she kissed him back with the same fervor. Draco placed his other hand on the small of Hermione's back pulling even closer to him.

Hermione ran her fingers softly through his soft hair that he no longer held rigid in place. She arched into him, while she ran her tongue over his lips. Draco moaned as he parted his lips eagerly giving Hermione unrestricted to explore his mouth with her tongue. After she explored his mouth a little, their tongues darting softly in and out of each others' mouths. Hermione, feeling bold draped her right leg over Draco's hip, Draco couldn't help but groan and grabbed her hip pulling Hermione right up against him. She could feel a hardness beneath the layers of his pants sending warm electric currents to her aching lower body.

Draco moaned deeply, cradling her head by cupping her cheek in his hand that was once playing with her unruly soft locks. He broke their kiss, so he could pepper kisses down her jaw bone and nuzzle her neck. 

Hermione loved how Draco could balance his soft simple caresses with his passionate borderline desperate ones. She tilted his head upright and gave him a long look, this time his eyes were half lidded and she smiled, "Draco."

And suddenly they were snapped back to reality, staring at each other in silence. 


	6. The Author

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The author is revealed!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Alrighty then, it's done! I hope you guys like the chapter order, it was a lot different for interhouse-fest (3 parts instead of 6)  
> Also I hope you liked last chapter's racy kiss scene it was A LOT tamer in the interhouse-fest version

**Lee:** Hi there, Hogwarts! Sorry for the week late welcome back broadcast. This is Lee Jordan with my amazing co-hosts Fred and George Weasley. Today we’re interviewing the one and only Draco Malfoy about the Let—  
  
**Draco:** No.  
  
**Fred:** Come on, Malfoy, out with it! Did you write the letter?  
  
**Draco:** -__-  
  
**George:** Aww Malfoy, pleeease?  
  
**Draco:** I know the war’s over, and we were on the same side… but I still hate you guys.  
  
**Lee:** *gasp* That’s not a very nice thing to say.  
  
**Draco:** Stop talking to me about the letter, ok? I have… *stares at Hermione* more important things to worry about...  
  
**Fred:** For the record, folks, he’s staring at Hermione Granger, which brings us to our next question: what exactly happened in Australia?  
  
**Draco:** Look, nothing, okay?! And unlike you lot, I actually have a class to go to, get out of my way.  
  
*He leaves and slams the door behind him*  
  
**Fred:** So something did happen. Anyone know what?  
  
**George:** No idea, Ginny wouldn’t tell me. None of the girls would.  
  
**Lee:** Yeah, wow, I thought I was the only one who got the freeze out from the girls. I’m not worried, though, they’ve become good friends and Malfoy is way less of a git. I’m sure this will all be sorted out in a week or two.  
  
Anyway getting back on topic, we’re still in the dark on who sent the letter, so yes Letterpool is still going on. However, Fred and George have extended the same offer to those who picked the coupling combinations for Seamus/Daphne and for Lavender/Theo - you’ve won the 10 Galleons off coupon for a 35 Galleon purchase at WWW! We’re still trying to wrangle Theodore and Lavender in for an interview, but Lavender pulled the ‘I dated Ron Weasley so please stop if you know what’s good for you card,’ so that’s that. Well, this concludes the coverage for this week this is Lee Jordan signing off! See you next time at Hogwarts Hot Topics!  
  


~~~

  
  
Hermione had tried everything to get him to talk to her, but he barely said a word…  
  
They were pretty much silent all the way back to Hogwarts. Hermione didn’t know what had happened. She pretty much told Susan just that. “One minute we were kissing, and it was fantastic, I was happy. I thought he was happy, everything seemed like everything was fine. The next... all he shut down and would only talk to me if I asked something and even then he barely spoke two words. He seemed ashamed that we kissed and," Hermione choked back a sob, "I miss him, Susan. I miss his god awful jokes and the way he carries on. I miss how he always knew exactly what I needed whether it was distance or talking… When did this happen!? When did I care about Draco sodding Malfoy, when did we become this close?”  
  
Hermione was about to add the wrong ingredient to the potion they were working on for Slughorn.  
  
“Hey! Careful with that.”  
  
“Sorry…”  
  
“Oh look, it’s okay,” Susan tried to comfort Hermione as best as she could. “I think we should take a break and really talk about this. Tell me again what exactly happened from the top.”  
  
“What again from the top?” Ginny and Luna had just walked into the empty classroom Hermione and Susan were using.  
  
“Well, Draco kissed Hermione in Australia, and that’s why they haven’t spoken since they came back,” Susan replied, sympathetically. A feeling Ginny Weasley could barely keep herself contained.  


“WHAT?!”  
  
“Susan!” Hermione exclaimed.  
  
“What? It’s just Ginny and Luna, they’re our friends they might be able to give you some fresh perspective.”  
  
“Hmm, I thought something like that must be the cause of all this friction,” said Luna thoughtfully. “Hermione, could we hear what went on?”  
  
Hermione took a deep breath to prepare herself to tell the story. 

 

~~~

 

“Whoa! Draco! Merlin, I’m not even good at potions and even I know that combination would have blown us to bits. What’s going on with you?!” Neville had just saved them both from what a very big explosion.  
  
“Sorry, I just wasn’t paying attention...” Draco sighed, internally berating himself for Australia, for nearly killing Neville just now, for everything.  
  
Neville on the other hand, basically had, had enough. _'Merlin's Beard, he's been like this ever since he got back from Australia with Hermione!'_  Neville had no idea what to do it was as if someone had let the Dementors come back to Hogwarts to just drain him specifically. Susan knew what was going on, but she had given her word to Hermione that she wouldn’t talk about it, leaving Neville completely in the dark.  
  
Draco thought he didn't deserve to be listened to, and Neville was the nicest human being on the planet--okay no Susan was but still no use in dragging him into this. Draco couldn’t confide in Theo, Blaise, or Daphne right now because they were blissfully in love. Draco basically didn’t want drag them down with him either. Plus, it would have meant revealing what he’d been doing in Australia. That was Hermione’s secret, not his.  
  
Draco was about to make another potentially fatal error when Neville intervened yet again, dumping the obviously failed potion.  
  
“Okay, enough, tell me what happened in Australia or I will hex it out of you.”  
  
“Neville—”  
  
“No, Malfoy, you’ve nearly blown us up twice within the last 2 minutes, a feat that not even I could accomplish. I’ve tried to keep my nose out of it, but this is ridiculous. Out with it, what happened.” It wasn’t a question, and Neville would be damned before Draco would dodge the subject again.  
  
Draco took a breath. “I kissed her.”  
  


~~~

“So after we get my parents’ memories back, everything is fine… and… he’s perfect. He took the time to introduce himself to my parents, and he gave us space to reconnect. It was great, and when I when I went back to the hotel to meet up with him, I told him all about it. I dunno what happened we were just having fun, being silly—”  
  
“They had a pillow fight,” Susan explained.  
  
“You’ve got to be kidding,” said Ginny.  
  
“That’s always a bit of fun.” Luna remarked. “What? It really is a lovely activity, a little frivolity never hurt anyone. Sorry, Hermione, didn’t mean to interrupt.”  
  
“Thanks, Luna, um… well so yeah w-we were having a pillow fight, and I tripped, and he caught me, then all of a sudden we were kissing.”  
  


~~~

  
  
“You. And Hermione… had a pillow fight?”  
  
“Shut up, it’s not as stupid as it sounds,” Draco grumbled at Neville. He hated to admit it, but it was actually a lot of fun.  
  
“No judgment, it sounds kind of cute I guess? It’s weird to picture you as being cute— sorry, keep going.”  
  
“So I kiss her and—”  
  
“And what? Did she not kiss you back?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“No, she didn’t kiss you back?”  
  
“No, I mean she did kiss me back.”  
  
“So then… what is the problem?”  
  
“Nothing, I dunno, I just. She was kissing me back and it was great because I could push everything out.”  
  
“You’re talking nonsense.”  
  
“Did you want to hear what happened or not?”  
  
“Fine, continue, ya git.”   
  
“Fine... Sh-She said my name, ok? Not Malfoy, she called me by my name, and I froze. I get that doesn’t make sense, but I’ve always been Malfoy to her. Never Draco, and that’s good. That’s fine because I shouldn’t be anything but her friend. And it was all normal and everything b-but she said my name and suddenly everything was real.”  
  
Neville was trying to wrap his head around this. “Wait, so, you stopped kissing her and are freezing her out because she wants to be close to you? It sounds she really likes you the way you like her. I guess I just don’t understand what the problem is?”  
  


~~~

  
  
“How was the kissing?”  
  
“Gin, come on, ease up will you?”  
  
“Hermione, you kissed Draco Malfoy, he’s supposed to be a pretty good kisser, and I’m a little pissed that I’m only hearing about this now. We’ve been back for a month.”  
  
“Is that really going to be the only thing you focus on? Never mind that my friend hasn’t spoken to me in a month, you’re annoyed with my lack of kiss description.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Luna looked at Hermione with a curious expression. “I have to admit, Hermione, that even I’m interested.”  
  
Hermione gave Susan a death glare, and Susan very much did not care. Hermione did need a second opinion on this, especially from those who were actually dating. Besides, because Ginny and Luna hadn’t heard the story before Hermione had to tell it from the beginning. It would give Susan the chance to potentially pick up on something she had inadvertently overlooked.  
  
“Yes okay, it was the best kiss I’d ever had… which is why this is pretty horrible. I thought he might have fancied me, but instead, he pulled away.”  
  
“Okay, but what happened that might have made him pull away? No offense, Hermione, but I’ve heard this story before, and it always feels like there is something missing from it.”  
  
“Um… well when we broke for air I called him by his first name… after that he just became a completely different person... Like he wished I was a completely different girl...”  
  


~~~

  
  
“The problem is, she shouldn’t be getting involved with me! She should be getting involved with a different guy. A good guy. That’s not me… and it never should be. Hogwarts is coming to an end, we weren’t even close before, and maybe it should have just stayed that way. I really like being her friend, and being there for her anything else is impractical… I’ve done some pretty irredeemable things to her, which even with helping her parents, it doesn’t erase that.”  
  
“Wow… Look, Malfoy, I get why you _think_ you ought feel that way, but I don’t agree with it, _at all._ All the things you did before last year… You had an abusive parent who was holding your mum hostage. You had to do what he said. If I had been in your position I’d have done all the same things. I think you’re being way too harsh on yourself, everyone has been through a lot--too much. It’s time to let yourself be happy, you deserve it, and if anyone understands that, it’s Hermione.”  
  
“I appreciate it Neville but… it’s a lost cause. I’ve fancied her for a long time, and I brought her unhappiness for the majority of that time. I’m not looking to impose myself on her life any more than I already have. Now come on, let’s keep going.”  
  


~~~

  
  
**Lee:** Well then, it’s just George and me for today. Fred is taking Angelina out for Valentine’s Day. We’re still no closer to finding out who wrote The Letter, but my goodness the bets certainly have gotten creative!  
  
**George:** It’s probably because of Valentine’s day, but this is has been the most bets we’ve received since the day The Letter landed on Gryffindor’s table.  
  
**Lee:** True, very true. Well, today we’re here with Susan Bones. Susan? Do you want to have a go at who wrote this letter? *George holds up the letter* Or you could tell us if Malfoy and Hermione have patched things up yet.  
  
**Susan:** No, and please stop asking. I’m more than happy to talk about The Letter, but Draco and Hermione have to sort that out on their own. *Susan takes the letter* Um… Well, it’s quite romantic, and wait. What!? *Susan immediately starts rummaging through her rucksack*  
  
**Lee:** Susan?  
  
**George:** Are you okay?  
  
**Susan:** Shut up! UGH GET OUT OF MY BAG YOU STUPID SCROLL—FINALLY *Susan pulls out a scroll and checks the handwriting back and forth.* Holy Hippogriffs… No way, no way, No Way!!! I KNEW IT! I know who wrote the letter! Gotta go, boys!  
  
**Lee and George:** WAIT WHAT?!  
  
**Susan:** Sorry, but I really have to go.  
  
**Lee:** At least tell us who you think it is?!  
  
**Susan:** Well it’s *massive feedback from the radio* I’d bet my life on it! Anyway, yeah seriously I have to go *Susan runs off with the letter*  
  
**George:** Well, wow. I’ll admit I was not expecting that.  
  
**Lee:** How could we have let her go?! We have to get her back for another interview!  
  
**George:** Quick, let’s take the equipment. The whole school needs to hear this!  
  
**Lee:** Yeah, I’m still reeling. Wow, I mean who would have thought that the letter was for *radio static* and the one who wrote it was *radio static* I can’t believe Fred’s going to miss this!  
  
**George:** I know! This is going to be totally awesome. * The pair of them bustles out, following to where Susan went*  
  


~~~

  
  
“Hermione!” Susan ran up to Hermione, completely out of breath.  
  
“Susan, are you alright?”  
  
“Yes!” Susan panted, “Just shh, Hermione… I need to talk to you. The Letter was for you! It was written for you!”  
  
“Susan, what are you talking about?”  
  
“Just listen, ok? I was able to see the letter. I knew what it said, but I only _saw_ it as in the handwriting today!  
  
“And this has to do with me because?”  
  
“Because I know whose handwriting it is, and because I think you’ll be very pleased to know who it belongs to.”  
  
“Susan enough buildup, who wrote it?”  
  
“My Charms partner.” Susan took out the stolen letter and put it side by side to Susan’s Charms essay co-written by…  
  
“Draco Malfoy? Your charms partner is—”  
  
“Yeah, we’ve been partners since first year, I’d know that handwriting anywhere. Just look at it.”  
  
“It’s exactly the same…”  
  
“This makes so much sense now, this is why he freaked out when he kissed you. He for whatever reason is afraid of getting close to you, and The Letter pretty much sums up why—” Susan kept talking, but Hermione wasn’t really listening, and who could blame her? After, all this agony for the past month and a half, it turned out Draco sodding Malfoy had felt the same way she had?  
  
“Susan, do you know where he is?”  
  
“Yeah, I think he’s by the Courtyard, it’s about to rain and he likes watching the rain from there. He reckons it’s peaceful.” As if on cue thunder clapped echoing through the halls. “Why do you know what you’re going to say to him?”  
  
“I’m not going to say anything, I’m going to kill him!” Hermione stormed off to find Malfoy, taking The Letter and Susan’s essay with her.  
  
“Oh dear…”  
  
Susan followed Hermione, and not too far behind Susan were Lee Jordan and George Weasley, who were covertly broadcasting the entire exchange.  
  


~~~

  
  
“Hey!” Hermione was out of breath and furious. “Hey, you annoying albino flying Ferret!” Hermione threw a book at him.  
  
“Shit!” He managed to dodge it before it hit him. “Hermione, what the hell?!”  
  
“Oh, it’s **_Hermione_** now? After a month and a half of not even looking at me, let alone speaking to me, we’re back to calling each other by our first names? Well fuck that, Malfoy, why didn’t you just tell me?”  
  
Hermione started reading The Letter out loud:  
  
_“Dear Friend,  
  
Our years at Hogwarts are coming to an end. You will probably remember these halls fondly, and everyone will remember you, but I’m quite certain you will not remember me.  
  
There have been certain things that I have left unsaid, so I am telling you now… before it’s too late.  
  
I know I’ve done things… said things in the past that are irredeemable. I’m not writing you in an attempt to erase those errors. I’m not expecting these words to suddenly change things, or win you over either.  
  
This is just to let you know how much I genuinely care about you. I don’t have the words to describe how much being your friend—as brief as it’s been—has meant to me… I can honestly say it’s more than you will ever know.  
  
Again, I’m not looking to impose myself in your life, after Hogwarts, and even if I were to never see you again, that would be okay.  
  
This is just to tell you, that I wish you every happiness.  
  
With all my affection…  
  
A Friend.”_  
  
After she was done, she thrust The Letter into his face along with Susan’s essay.  
  
Draco felt his cheeks burn. “Fuck… Susan… shit.”  
  
“Oh no, you don’t get to blame Susan. You don’t get to do anything except explain yourself! Why didn’t what tell me that you wrote the letter?” Hermione felt tears threaten flow out due to her frustration.  
  
Draco balled his hand into a fist and shouted right back at her. “Why do you think?! Merlin I'm a broken fucking record at this point-because it’s a lost fucking cause, Hermione! That’s why! I’m not a _good_ guy, I’m not even a _nice_ guy! I don’t deserve… look, you deserve to be happy alright? But for me? No. I meant everything I said in this stupid piece shit letter. I should never have sent it in the first place.” He took a breath to calm down. “Hermione, I want you to be happy, you deserve everything you want because you are a good person. You actually deserve every single good thing life has to offer. I am not one of those good things, surely you know that by now.”  
  
“Draco…” Hermione murmured. “You can’t actually believe that. You may have said a lot of crappy-bullying-annoying bullshit when we were younger, but look at what you did during the war—hell, even before the war, look at what you’ve done for me! I’m so mad at you right now!”  
  
“Good, you should be, and you should get me out of your life! I’m bad fucking news!”  
  
“No, you’re not. I know we both said things when we were younger that we regret, but when I really needed someone to keep me sane you were there! So you have any idea how much I’ve been beating myself up since Australia?” Hermione was red in the face, she knew things were always explosive with Ron, she did. However, now that she was going through her mental catalog of all the stupid things she and Ron had gone through, she came to the conclusion that, no. Ron had never managed to piss her off this much.  
  
“Listen here, Malfoy.” She took a breath and tried to remove as much anger as she could out of her voice. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed just talking to you? You don’t get to pick this for me. I know you think you’re this terrible person, but you’re not, at least you’re not to me… and if you want me to be happy? Really, truly, happy? Then you’ll consider my feelings for five seconds and realize that it’s very simple. I like you as much as you like me and life’s too fucking short so… if you really want me to be happy, you’ll indulge me with this.”  
  
Draco threw his hands up in the air matching her intensfying frustration, “See this is exactly what I was afraid of! I never wanted this, I don’t want you to feel like you owe me a date or—”  
  
“Hey, you arsehole, did you hear me at all? You don’t get to just tell me how I feel, ok? I doubt you even know how much I want to strangle you and kiss you right now.” She sighed. “This is silly, I want to try this, even if it’s a mistake, don’t you?”

Hermione stared at his sad silver eyes, that somehow managed to tell her everything and nothing about what he was feeling. All she wanted to do was hold her into his arms and let him know how wanted he was. But he was functioning like a scared animal ready to run, so approaching him was probably not the best idea.

Draco returned Hermione's gaze. He wanted to finish what was started in Australia, he wanted to make her laugh and tease her, but could he really do that?  
  
“Of course I do… but Hermione… I’m a human disaster.” He sighed.  
  
“Well,” Hermione let out a humorless chuckle, “welcome to the club. You helped me, you were there for me, and I know you weren’t expecting anything out of that. I know you did all of that—this because you genuinely care about me. So won’t you let me just let me care and love you back?”  
  
He froze again, he couldn't have heard her correctly there's no way she told him- “You love me?” He swallowed hard, barely getting the words out   
  
“O-Only if you love me back.” Hermione felt so vulnerable she had to drop her gaze.  
  
Draco looked down as well and placed both of her hands in his. “ I do. I l-love you Hermione... I just don’t want to ruin things like I usually do.”  
  
Hermione blushed and looked up into his stormy gray eyes once more. “You only will if you pull another stunt like not talking to me for months. Although that would be better than giving up on this before we’ve even started.”  
  
“Heh, you’re really not going to give this up are you?”  
  
“Not in this lifetime.”  
  
He nodded and considered this. “Okay then, I guess I should start by apologizing and take you out for dinner sometime.” He rubbed the back of his neck worried at what he'd just offered.   
  
“Sounds like a start at least…” Hermione grinned  
  
Draco smiled and pulled Hermione in close cradling her head in his hand. “I promise I will make it up to you. I’ll even learn how to get along your sidekicks.”  
  
“Much appreciated, now can you just shut up and kiss me?” Hermione started playing with his tie. “It is Valentine’s day after all.”  
  
“I think that can be arranged… and, thank you—thank you for your patience in all of this.” He tucked a strand of Hermione’s exquisitely wild tresses behind her ear. Hermione stood on her toes, just like she did in Australia. Finally while listening to the rain outside, did they kiss each other again, and this time they wouldn’t shy away from each other, not ever again.  
  


~~~

  
  
**Lee:** Hello, Hogwarts! This is Lee Jordan, and wow what an interesting Broadcast from last time, eh? Now we have received death threats from both Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, so we’ve taken that recording out of the broadcasting loop. Sorry, folks, but if you didn’t hear it before then, unfortunately, you won’t ever. Also in the studio are my trusty co-hosts and our guest, Susan Bones! Susan, lovely seeing you again so soon! How does it feel, Bones, discussing Letterpool, after all, she our one and only the winner!  
  
**Susan:** Wait, what? But I didn’t even make a bet.  
  
**Lee:** Well, you did bet your life on it.  
  
**Susan:** That wasn’t serious!  
  
**Fred:** Relax, Susan, we wouldn’t have let anyone take ownership of your life if you had lost, but you did bet, so therefore you win!  
  
**Susan:** Oh I—I dunno how I feel about that.  
  
**George:** Anyway, so Susan, what was the thing that gave it away?  
  
**Susan:** Well um, the handwriting was a dead giveaway really, but I guess everything that happened between Hermione and Draco made it that much more obvious.  
  
**Lee:** Wow, well so what about you is there someone special for the amazing Susan Bones?  
  
**Susan:** Oh well, I mean, there was the idea of someone, but maybe not heh... we’re friends, and so much stuff got in the way. If he ever did feel the same way about me, it was never really put out there. So I dunno I’m okay, being friends is great, oh god I totally see why Draco wrote the letter in the first place but yeah. You know it um *Susan continues to ramble until there’s a knock at the door and Neville walks in.*  
  
**Neville:** Susan, hi. *Looks at Lee, George and Fred* Oh hi, guys, sorry, just a sec. Susan, hi, yeah, I was looking for you. I actually tried to find you er yesterday, Valentine’s day, but er but that was a bit of a bust. Then I heard the radio replay and figured you were pretty busy so I just thought I’d find you today instead. Erm, I heard what you said just now on the radio show. I am - interested I mean. So wanna grab dinner tonight?  
  
**Susan:** Yes.  
  
**Neville:** Great. See you tonight. Bye, guys.  
  
*Neville heads out for about a second before briskly walking back in. He leans down and kisses her*  
  
**Neville:** Right, tonight I’ll pick you up outside of the Great Hall. *Neville leaves the radio broadcast again leaving a happy and somewhat in shock Susan*  
  
**Susan:** I-hihi- sorry, what was the question again? *smiling sweetly*   
  
**Lee:** *grinning* Nothing, Susan, we’re done here, thank you for your time.  
  
**Susan:** Thanks you guys, it was nice talking to you! *Susan leaves the room giggling and goes to catch up with Neville*  
  
**Fred:** Aww, I love those two!  
  
**George:** Wow, what a wonderful Valentine’s day!  
  
**Lee:** That’s right! New couples celebrating, old couples celebrating, and new loves being formed all around. Oh, and wow, yeah, that’s it for The Letterpool! Don’t worry, folks, I’ll still be here until the end of the year, then I will pass on the new radio station Hogwarts Hot Topics to the next generation. I plan on creating my own radio show after this year entitled, “Harry Potter and the Neverending story.” Just kidding! I’m still deciding on the name, but it won’t be that, I promise, Harry. After this year so if you miss me, you can still tune in. This is Lee Jordan,  
  
**Fred:** This is Fred Weasley,  
  
**George:** And this is George Weasley,  
  
**All three:** Signing off.  
  
****

**FIN**

 


End file.
